Anguished Soul
by Jeff L
Summary: COMPLETE. Set after Season 5. Chris is now the Charmed Ones' new Whitelighter. Just who is Chris Perry and what is his real agenda? Can the Charmed Ones trust him?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Please review the story or e- mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 1  
  
"What are we going we do with Leo gone?" Phoebe asked as she buried her face in her hands. The sun was setting and all was quiet in the Halliwell manor. "What will we do next time we need his help?"  
  
Joining her sister at the kitchen table, Paige sat down and sighed. "I don't know. I guess we'll have to do with Chris from now on."  
  
"I don't know about him," Phoebe replied. "There's just too much that he is not telling us."  
  
"He seems like a pretty nice guy," Paige offered. "A little strange, mind you. But he did help us defeat the Titans."  
  
"Perhaps. But I'm not ready to trust my life with him just yet."  
  
"Wow, it's so nice to feel wanted." Paige and Phoebe turned to see Chris leaning against the kitchen door with a smirk on his face. "It's just so heartwarming."  
  
"Do you always have to be a smart ass?" Phoebe answered with a fake smile plastered on her face.  
  
"Whatever," Chris grumbled as he left the kitchen, only to come face to face with Piper.  
  
An awkward silence followed as the two stared at each other. They were soon joined by Paige and Phoebe, who were eager to keep a close eye on Piper and help her through the ordeal of losing Leo.  
  
"Is everything okay, Piper?" Paige asked, hoping to break the tension in the air.  
  
"Of course," Piper answered, her eyes still on Chris. "Why wouldn't they be? We beat the Titans, Leo is an elder, and we have a new Whitelighter. What more can I ask for?"  
  
The sarcasm in Piper's voice was not lost on everyone else. "I'm so glad everything is to your liking, Piper," Chris shot back, anger apparent in his voice. "You think I asked to be you Whitelighter? You think I want to stay here in the past? Well, guess what? We don't always get what we want." With that, Chris stormed out of the house, slamming the door in the process.  
  
"Well, that was an interesting beginning," Phoebe said, not really knowing what to say.  
  
"I don't like him, Phoebe," Piper reiterated. "And I don't think I ever will."  
  
"He is not really that bad," Paige offered. "We just need time to get used to him."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Piper answered. "I just can't stand him."  
  
Piper retreated upstairs after dinner to feed Wyatt while Phoebe continued to labour in the kitchen. Paige opened the front door to see Chris sitting on the steps, staring into the horizon.  
  
"Hey," she said softly, not knowing whether or not Chris was still angry.  
  
"What have I done this time?" Chris answered without looking at Paige.  
  
"They didn't mean what they said, you know."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," he answered with a disinterested tone. "What do I care?"  
  
Paige rolled her eyes and sat down beside Chris, who still has not made eye contact with her. "I think you can use some food," she said as she offered a sandwich to the teen Whitelighter.  
  
Turning to look at her for the first time, he reluctantly accepted the food. "Thanks," he muttered.  
  
Paige thought she saw tear stains on his face but she kept her mouth shut. They sat in silence as Chris ate the sandwich. When he finally finished, he sighed and turned to Paige again. "I don't blame you guys. I should've expected it."  
  
"Huh?" Paige was puzzled but this sudden and unexpected comment.  
  
"I mean, I understand that I don't fit in here. It would've been wishful thinking to expect you all to welcome me with open arms. I know how much Leo meant to all of you."  
  
"Oh Chris, it's not that we don't accept you." Hearing those words from Chris made her feel so bad. He looked so young and vulnerable that she wanted to just hug him and comfort him, but she restrained herself for fear of sending the wrong message. "We just have to get to know you, that's all. It'll just take time."  
  
"I guess," Chris sighed, although he didn't really sound like he believed in those words. "Well, I better get going. It's getting late."  
  
"What?" Paige asked, surprise evident in her voice. "Where are you going? Aren't you staying here tonight?"  
  
"I don't think that'll be such a good idea."  
  
"But where are you going to stay?"  
  
"I'll manage," Chris answered. "Thanks for the food."  
  
"I really don't think Piper and Phoebe would mind if you stayed."  
  
"Nah, I better not," Chris answered before he smiled. "I'll be around if you need me." With that, he disappeared.  
  
That night, Paige didn't find much sleep as a thousand thoughts flooded her mind. She wondered how Piper was going to cope in the coming days. She wondered if they'll really be powerful enough to stop the demons without Leo. And she wondered about Chris. Who was he? Why did she feel a special connection to him?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The rain was pouring down relentlessly as Chris walked through the park, completely drenched. He wondered when or if he'll ever get the Charmed Ones to trust him. Smiling smugly, he was sure he could do it. It was only a matter of time. After all, Chris Perry always got what he wanted. Always.  
  
.to be continued... 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Please review the story or e- mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 2  
  
Chris was so deep in thought he didn't even notice that he wasn't alone in the park. Only the sound of a sinister laughter woke the teen Whitelighter from his thoughts. A look of surprise flashed across his face before it was replaced by a glare of disgust.  
  
"Did you miss me, Christopher?" the voice sneered.  
  
"How did you get here?"  
  
"I have my ways, of course. I wanted to see your progress."  
  
"That's none of your business," Chris snapped.  
  
"Touchy, touchy."  
  
"Don't think of trying anything," the teen warned, refusing to show his apprehension.  
  
The sinister laughter echoed through the empty park. "If we weren't such good friends, I would've thought you were threatening me."  
  
"Don't push it, Arkon."  
  
"Enough small talk, Christopher. Just remember that I'll be watching you," the voice announced. "Until we meet again, a small gift for you to remember me by."  
  
Chris summoned his power and orbed a fireball towards Arkon but it was too late. Immediately, a sharp pain struck Chris, causing the teen to collapse onto his knees, clutching his abdomen. Amidst the pain, he could still hear Arkon's voice taunting him. "You weak fool! When will you ever learn?" With that, the voice became more distant but the pain refused to subside. Chris called out for help but there was no one to help him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The morning sun shone down, waking Chris up from his restless sleep. He had fallen unconscious after his encounter with Arkon and he found himself still in the deserted park. Realizing that he needed to check up on the Charmed Ones, he groaned at the prospect of another confrontation with Piper.  
  
The three sisters were in the kitchen having breakfast when Chris appeared. Phoebe was the first to notice Chris' appearance. "You look awful, Chris," she observed.  
  
"And good morning to you too," Chris answered. He really was in no mood to spar with the three witches and he had no energy to come up with any smart remarks. "I'm assuming everything here is okay?"  
  
"Definitely," Paige answered, her eyes never leaving the teen. "Can't say the same about you though. What did you do to yourself?"  
  
"What?" Chris asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious as three pairs of eyes were focused on him. "I had a rough night, okay?"  
  
The pang of guilt that plagued Paige the night before returned and again, she saw the vulnerability behind Chris' eyes. "Let me get you some breakfast."  
  
"No, I'm fine," Chris protested. He really didn't want to stay in the manor any longer than he had to.  
  
"Sit," ordered Paige as she filled up the plate with food.  
  
Chris sheepishly sat down, not daring or wanting to question the order. Only when he started eating did he realize how hungry he really was. By the time he was done, Phoebe had headed off to work while Piper was out doing errands, taking Wyatt with her. This left Paige and Chris in the house, along with an awkward silence.  
  
"Well, I better get going," Chris said as he got up from the kitchen table. "You probably have a ton of errands to run yourself."  
  
"What do you have planned today?" Paige asked, hoping she wasn't sounding overly eager.  
  
"Nothing much, aside from apartment hunting."  
  
"Apartment hunting? You mean you really don't plan to stay with us?" Paige asked, not really knowing why she suddenly felt so disappointed.  
  
"Like I said last night, that really wouldn't be a good idea."  
  
"Well, let me help you out, given that you come from the future and all. You don't want to get ripped off or something," Paige quickly offered before realizing that she was trying overly hard to rationalize her answer.  
  
Chris gave her a curious look before grinning. "Sure. I suppose I can use some help."  
  
As she walked down the street with Chris, she could not help but wonder why Phoebe and Piper were so wary of him. She felt totally comfortable when she was with Chris and she couldn't see any way how he could have a hidden agenda.  
  
The day passed by quickly for Paige and Chris as they searched all over the neighbourhood for an apartment. Finally, Chris decided on small one- bedroom unit two blocks from the Halliwell manor. The apartment wasn't overly large but was spacious enough to be comfortable. Mostly furnished, Chris was delighted that he could move in immediately.  
  
The sun was setting when they finally finished with all the rental paperwork. "Thanks for your help, Paige. I really appreciate it," Chris said gratefully as they walked back towards the manor.  
  
"No problem. The least I could do was find my Whitelighter a comfortable apartment."  
  
Paige groaned inwardly as she saw a familiar face approaching them from down the street. It was Marcus, a jock who lived on the same street as the Halliwells. Ever since day one, he had always tried to hit on Paige. She always ignored him but lately, he was becoming increasingly persistent and to make matters worse, Paige couldn't use her powers to get rid of him for fear of revealing her true identity.  
  
As Marcus approached, his annoying smirk only got more annoying. "Hey Paige. I've been looking all over for you."  
  
"Can I help you, Marcus?" she said in an annoyed voice.  
  
"Yes you can, Paige. My friend is hosting a really hot party and perhaps you can go as my date."  
  
"How many times have I told you, Marcus? I'm not interested."  
  
With no sign of backing off, Marcus continued. "I admire you, Paige. Most girls would be all over guys like me, but you're different. I like challenges like that. But I think deep down, you are attracted to me. You just don't want to admit it."  
  
Paige was so annoyed she wanted to scream. Instead, she grabbed Chris' hand and pulled him close. "Actually, I'm already taken," she answered as she leaned into the teen Whitelighter.  
  
"That's pretty funny, Paige," Marcus laughed.  
  
As if to prove her point, Paige pulled Chris towards her and kissed him. Chris' eyes shot wide open in shock before quickly playing along with Paige's act.  
  
Marcus, disgusted by the scene before him, simply grunted. "I thought you had better taste than that, Paige. Guess I was wrong. Maybe you're just like all those cheap sluts after all."  
  
At this, Chris pulled away from the kiss and glared at Marcus. "What did you just say?" he demanded, anger quickly rising.  
  
"I said that your girl is a cheap slut," he answered condescendingly. "And what are you going to do about it, pretty boy?"  
  
"Apologize to her," Chris demanded in a low, even voice. "Now."  
  
Without warning, Marcus launched a fist towards Chris, which he easily ducked. Enraged, Marcus began to attack Chris. Without fighting back, Chris simply avoided all of the blows and soon, Marcus was exhausted. Smirking, Chris turned his attention back to Paige. "You okay?"  
  
Paige simply nodded, still marveling at the "fight" that she just witnessed. She was impressed that Chris chose not to resort to brawling with Marcus. But even more important, she loved how Chris stood up for her when Marcus insulted her. Her thoughts were broken as her peripheral vision caught sight of Marcus. She gasped as she saw Marcus' hand holding something shiny as he lunged at Chris, whose back was facing Marcus.  
  
"Chris!!" she yelled. "Watch out!!"  
  
.to be continued. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 3  
  
A wave of pain surged through Chris' body as the knife slashed his arm. Ignoring the pain, Chris extended his legs and made contact with his attacker's face, sending Marcus to the ground. Walking over, Chris grabbed Marcus by the hair and dragged him to his knees. "Apologize to her." he demanded.  
  
Mumbling a barely audible jumble of words, Chris released his captive by pushing him away. Immediately, Marcus scrambled to his feet and scurried away.  
  
"Is he always this persistent?" Chris half-joked, trying to make light of the situation.  
  
"Unfortunately, yes," Paige replied, relief written all over her face. At times like these, she really appreciates her powers. If only she could use them in the open, then Marcus would never bother her again.  
  
"Wonderful," replied Chris with a smirk.  
  
"Are you okay?" Paige asked with a look of concern as she saw Chris's white shirt quickly become soaked with blood from the knife wound. "I'm so sorry!"  
  
"Don't worry about it," Chris assured with a smile. "I promise I won't hold this one against you."  
  
The two resumed their trek home in silence, although this time, there was also a sense of discomfort. Neither Chris nor Paige really wanted to discuss the kiss, but at the same time, they couldn't really get it off their mind.  
  
Finally breaking the silence, Paige began to recite her semi-prepared speech. "Chris, about the, you know, the." she faltered.  
  
A mischievous grin appeared on the Whitelighter's face. "Hm? The what?" he asked, trying to look innocent.  
  
"You know, back there."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Paige felt herself blushing and growing frustrated, knowing that Chris was doing this on purpose. "The kiss!! Happy? I said it!"  
  
The grin grew bigger on Chris' face. "Oh! That! What about it?" he laughed. "You're a good kisser, you know." Seeing Paige squirm and blush on encouraged Chris to continue. "Are you blushing?"  
  
Refusing to make a fool of herself in front of this smart ass Whitelighter, Paige rolled her eyes and marched home, determined to ignore Chris for the rest of the way.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"How are you doing, Wyatt?" Chris whispered as he smiled at the infant. "He looks so innocent and adorable," he thought. "You're such a lucky boy, you know that, Wyatt? You have a mother who loves you so much.and two amazing aunts.I wish I had that too." Chris shook his head to clear his mind before his rambling thoughts got the better of him. The timing was perfect as Piper stormed into the room.  
  
"What do you think you're doing with Wyatt?" she demanded in a less-than- friendly tone.  
  
Immediately, Chris backed away, his eyes wide with surprise. "Hey, chill out, Piper. I was just doing as I was told."  
  
"You just stay far away from Wyatt, is that clear?"  
  
"You really need to relax, Piper. You're going to get yourself a nervous breakdown real soon if you don't stop acting like this."  
  
"Well, I would stop acting like this if we had a half-decent Whitelighter to watch our backs."  
  
"Ouch, that hurt," Chris replied.  
  
Piper felt a small feeling of guilt but refused to acknowledge it. She had thought about why she felt so negatively towards Chris, but she never came up with a plausible reason. One thing she did know, however, was that her gut feelings about these things were usually right, which only convinced her that Chris was not to be trusted.  
  
"Oh my god!! What happened to you?" Phoebe exclaimed as she walked into the room to see Chris' blood-soaked shirt.  
  
"Piper had an anxiety attack of sorts," the young Whitelighter answered with a straight face.  
  
A look of horror could be seen on Phoebe's face as she took in Chris' words. The Whitelighter could hardly keep himself from laughing out loud. Finally, he could no longer stand it and succumbed to laughter. "Phoebe, you really need to relax. I was just joking!"  
  
"Ha ha. You have a very strange sense of humour, Chris," Phoebe answered, annoyed at falling for his joke, yet amused at the same time. "So what really happened?"  
  
"Minor accident," Chris answered without giving any more details. "Really," he added, just to emphasize that this wasn't another joke.  
  
"That's pretty bloody for a minor accident," Phoebe asked, her eyebrows raised with skepticism.  
  
"Didn't I tell you that I was a bammer?"  
  
"Excuse me? A what?"  
  
"A bammer. You know.easily prone to accidents??"  
  
"You mean a klutz."  
  
"A what?"  
  
"You really need to get up to speed on up-to-date vocabulary," Phoebe suggested just as Paige entered the room with a first aid kit.  
  
"Let's get you cleaned up," Paige said as she sat down on the couch and opened the kit.  
  
"I think I can manage by myself," Chris offered.  
  
"Are you going to give me a hard time every time?" Paige asked with mock annoyance.  
  
"Okay, okay," the Whitelighter conceded as he sat down and let Paige go to work on his wound. "You three really need to chill out, you know that? You're always so serious!"  
  
"Well, maturity and responsibility are not easily understood by schoolboys like you," Piper replied.  
  
"I think I'll keep my mouth shut now," Chris responded with a mischievous grin as Paige finished dressing the wound.  
  
"There, all done," Paige announced proudly as she admired her handiwork.  
  
"Thanks. I guess I better get going now."  
  
"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Paige asked, not noticing the alarmed expression on Piper's face.  
  
"Better not. I don't want Piper to have another fit," Chris answered. "She's pretty scary when she's angry," he whispered in Paige's ear, causing her to burst out laughing. "Anyway, you know where to find me if you need me." With that, Chris disappeared.  
  
"And just what was so funny, Paige?" Piper asked as her curiosity overwhelmed her.  
  
"Oh nothing much," Paige replied coyly. "Although I think Chris is scared of you."  
  
"Well, he should be. One wrong move and I'll kick his ass."  
  
"Oh come on," Phoebe joined in, "aren't you being overly hard on him? He's a nice guy!"  
  
Piper rolled her eyes at that comment. "Phoebe, you think all college-age men are nice guys."  
  
"I do not!" Phoebe protested. "Although it would appear that Paige here is expressing some interest."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh nothing," Phoebe answered with a smile. "Aside from the fact that you spent so much time and effort carefully bandaging Chris."  
  
"I was just making sure that his wounds were properly treated."  
  
"I see," Phoebe continued, obviously not believing Paige.  
  
"What? He save." Paige stopped before any more details were spilled.  
  
The smile on Phoebe's face grew as she took a seat besides Paige. "Spill."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris' mind was spinning as he tried to gather his thoughts. "This was a totally weird day," he thought. The fight with Marcus was strange, but the kiss was Paige really threw him off. "What was that?" he asked. He never saw it coming and he had no idea where it came from. He shook his head and opened the door to his apartment. "Get a grip, Chris. You can't let anything or anyone sidetrack your plan. Stay focused," he told himself.  
  
He entered the dark apartment and closed the door behind him. He took several steps into his new home before he stopped dead in his tracks. His mouth went dry and his knees went weak. "What are you doing here?" Chris asked, his voice faltering and trembling.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 4  
  
There was no response to Chris' question, which did little to calm the Whitelighter's fears. Despite his pounding heart, he forced himself to move towards the intruder. "This can't be," he whispered as he buried his face in his hands. "Why are you doing this??" he asked as he broke into sobs.  
  
"I missed you, Chris."  
  
"No! No! Stay away from me!!"  
  
"Chris.why did you betray us?"  
  
"I didn't.I didn't know." Chris began to back away as the intruder moved towards him.  
  
"We showed you nothing but love and yet you."  
  
Chris fell on his knees, clutching his head, trying to shut out the voice of the intruder. "Stop it! Stop it! You're not even supposed to be here."  
  
"You can't run from me forever, Chris."  
  
"Help me." Chris cried out, but his throat was dry and only his call of help came up as more of a whimper.  
  
"No one can help you on this, Chris. You have to pay for what you did."  
  
"NO!!!!!!!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Chris?"  
  
The Whitelighter felt his body being shaken. His eyes slowly opened and upon seeing a pair of eyes looking at him, he pulled away immediately as he tried to assess the identity of the intruder.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"How did you get in here?"  
  
"You left your door unlocked," Paige answered. Her eyes narrowing as she took a good look at Chris. "Is everything okay?"  
  
Chris ran his hand through his hair as he tried to clear his mind. "Yeah.why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, first of all, you fell asleep on the couch."  
  
"I was too tired to make it to the bedroom," he answered quickly - a little too quickly.  
  
"And you were mumbling and writhing. Not to mention your face was covered in cold sweat."  
  
"Look, is there a point to all of this?" Chris snapped. "What is this, the Spanish Inquisition?"  
  
A look of hurt flashed across Paige's face before she got up and headed for the door. "Well, I'm sorry for caring."  
  
Chris got up and grabbed Paige's arms before quickly releasing it. "I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to snap at you."  
  
"I just want to help if something's wrong, okay?"  
  
The young Whitelighter gave a feeble smile and nodded. "It's nothing. I just had a bad night, that's all."  
  
"Seems like that's turning out to be a regular occurrence now, isn't it?" Paige quipped, recalling his similar response to a similar question just a day earlier.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Chris asked, his guard rising once again.  
  
"Nothing!" Paige answered, frustrated with the young Whitelighter's behaviour. "Someone's on edge today. What ever happened to chill out and relax?"  
  
"Don't even go there," Chris warned as he felt a massive headache coming on. "You wouldn't happen to have a Tevanox, would you?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Paige asked with a thoroughly confused look.  
  
"You know.the pill?" Chris responded with a hint of sarcasm. "The one you take if you want a headache to disappear instantaneously?"  
  
Chris' mood did not improve as he saw Paige trying to suppress her laughter. "I'm sorry, Chris, but I'm afraid that technology does not get discovered for a few more years. For now, you'll have to do with Tylenol."  
  
Grabbing the bottle from her, Chris proceeded to read the description on the bottle. "Relieves pain in less than an hour," he read. "Can these drugs work any slower? What's the point of taking a pill if it's going to take an hour for it to work?" he complained.  
  
"I hate to say this, but you're in one hell of a mood today," Paige observed. "Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today?"  
  
Chris just glared at her.  
  
"Oops, bad joke."  
  
Putting down his glass of water, he turned his attention back to Paige. "So what exactly are you doing here so bright and early anyways?"  
  
"I came to see you," she answered, before realizing how strange that sounded. "I need your help with something," she added. Paige took Chris' silence as her cue to continue. "What do you know about Xacrons?"  
  
Chris walked to the couch and sat down as he contemplated the question. "Xacrons as in the demons that take on the form of animals whenever they attack?"  
  
"I guess that's the one," Paige answered, impressed with the quick answer that Chris gave to her question.  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"I think they're prowling for victims in the city."  
  
"Impossible."  
  
"You just said that they take on the form of animals. And that fits the description of the Xacrons."  
  
"They haven't roamed the earth for thousands of years. They were banished by the gods during the last Great Battle. Why would they attack now? Better question is how could they have escaped?"  
  
"So what are you saying, exactly?"  
  
"It's some other type of demon that's taking on the characteristics of the Xacrons."  
  
"And I'm supposed to believe you on this?" Paige questioned.  
  
Chris looked at her with a strange expression. "Can I ask you something? Why do you come over first thing in the morning to ask me a question if you're not going to believe me anyway?"  
  
"That's not what I meant..."  
  
"Doesn't matter," Chris cut her off. He grabbed her hand and orbbed them back to the Halliwell manor before Paige could protest. They orbbed into the kitchen where Phoebe was just getting ready for work.  
  
"Chris!" Phoebe exclaimed in surprise at his sudden appearance. "Do you always look this bad in the morning?"  
  
The young Whitelighter just ignored her as he marched upstairs, leaving Phoebe somewhat bewildered. "What's with him?" she whispered, turning to her sister.  
  
"Don't ask," she answered as she followed Chris upstairs. She finally caught up with him in the attic. "Just what exactly are we doing here?"  
  
"Why don't you look in the Book of Shadows under Tekenogs?"  
  
Grudgingly, Paige opened the Book of Shadows. "There better be a point to all this," she muttered. After a couple of minutes, she found the entry and began reading it. "Tekenogs are relatively unknown demons that escaped after the Great Battle. Originally allied with the Xacrons, they were betrayed by their allies and narrowly escaped extinction. From that day onwards, they vowed to avenge the treachery and destroy the Xacrons. Tekenogs have the ability to take on the appearance of animals."  
  
"So that's what they are," Paige answered excitedly, only to find that Chris was no longer in the attic. Running downstairs, she found the Whitelighter at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea.  
  
"It would be nice to let the other person know if you are leaving," she began with a clearly annoyed voice.  
  
"Do you mind?" Chris responded. "I'm trying to read the paper here."  
  
"Okay, I've about had it with you," Paige yelled. "You really have a major attitude problem, you know that? Is it any wonder they we want Leo and not you to be our Whitelighter?"  
  
"Well, the feeling is mutual," Chris shot back before orbbing to who knows where, leaving a fuming Paige in the kitchen.  
  
The rest of the day was a drag for Paige, still furious from the encounter with Chris earlier. She was still fuming when Phoebe came home from the office.  
  
"So how was your day?" Phoebe asked as she put some groceries in the kitchen.  
  
"Crappy."  
  
"Oh, someone sounds pissed," Phoebe answered, obviously interested in getting more details.  
  
"Argument with pretty boy Whitelighter?"  
  
"What did you just call him?" Paige exclaimed in horror.  
  
"Calm down, Paige. It's obvious you have feelings for him."  
  
"That is so not true," she denied. "You have way too much time on your hands, Phoebe."  
  
Before the conversation could continue, there was a knock at the door. Eager to get away from Phoebe's questioning, Paige got up and headed to the door. "This is the third time Piper has forgotten her keys this week," she laughed. Opening the door, she was about to crack a joke when she realized that it wasn't Piper at the door.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 5  
  
"Hey," Chris greeted her.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably.  
  
"I came by to apologize." She was startled by his honest admission. "I was a complete jerk this morning. I'm sorry."  
  
Now this wasn't what she expected. She was sure that Chris would come up with some lame excuse or something, but certainly not this.  
  
The lack of response from Paige caused a worried expression on Chris' face. "Uh.can you at least say something?" he asked in an uncertain voice. "Please?"  
  
Then the words started coming out of Paige's mouth before she even had a chance to realize what she was saying. "So what took you so long to come and apologize? I mean, you had a whole day and it took you this long to figure out what a total jerk you are? I know you're a little slow, but this is ridiculous!" A horrified expression made its way to Paige's face as she realized what she just said. "Oh my god I can't believe I just said that!!" she thought.  
  
A brief look of shock registered on Chris' face before he looked down to the ground with a small smile. The smile grew somewhat when he met Paige's eyes again. "I guess I deserved that, didn't I?" There was no anger in his voice. There was no sarcasm either, which Paige found rather unsettling.  
  
"No, not really," Paige whispered, not really knowing what to say and still thoroughly embarrassed by her outburst. "I may have overreacted somewhat."  
  
Her comment was met with a chuckle from the Whitelighter. "Anyway, I still figure that I deserved every word that you said. But can we call it even now?" he smiled. "I mean, I really don't want to get beaten up by the fearsome Charmed Ones."  
  
Paige laughed at the comment as she pictured Piper, Phoebe, and herself beating up poor Chris. "Yeah, I guess we can call it even. And for the record, I'm sorry for the things I said."  
  
"Apology not needed but I'll accept it anyway," he answered good-naturedly. "You're more forgiving than I had expected. And to think I spent the whole afternoon preparing a peace offering." Only now did Paige realize that Chris had kept one hand behind his back all this time. Paige couldn't hide her look of surprise when Chris revealed a beautiful bouquet and presented it to her.  
  
"Oh my god, they're beautiful."  
  
"Is it safe to assume that you'll accept this peace offering?"  
  
The conversation was interrupted as Phoebe finally emerged after getting tired of waiting for Paige to return. "Are you two quite finished yet? Oooh! Very nice flowers!"  
  
"Don't even start with you smart comments," Paige warned her sister.  
  
"All I was about to ask was how long you planned to keep poor Chris standing outside."  
  
Paige quickly moved aside and invited the young Whitelighter into the manor, embarrassed yet again at how silly she must have acted.  
  
"So how was you day, Phoebe?" Chris asked, trying to give Paige some time to recollect herself.  
  
"Busy as usual," Phoebe commented as she got retrieved her tea. "It's always work, work, work."  
  
Chris was about to comment when he suddenly had a very strange feeling. His body tensed as he tried to figure out what was going on. "Phoebe! Paige!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked as she emerged from the kitchen.  
  
"Chris?" Paige asked when the Whitelighter remained silent.  
  
"It's them."  
  
"Who?" Phoebe and Paige asked at the same time.  
  
"Tekenogs."  
  
Before the two witches had a chance to ask another question, the building shook and a wind blew through the house. There standing before them were two Tekenogs.  
  
"Meet your doom, Charmed Ones," one of them said.  
  
"Only two of you today?" the other one sneered. "This will be easier than I thought."  
  
"It's not like the Power of Three can defeat us," the Tekenog laughed.  
  
"You pathetic creatures won't know what hit you," Phoebe taunted as she unleashed her power.  
  
Paige stared in shock as the demons brushed aside Phoebe's attack. Not only were they not affected, but they redirected the attack back to Phoebe, sending her flying across the room and crashing against the wall.  
  
"Phoebe! Are you okay?" Paige yelled as she rushed to her sister's side. As the demons advanced towards them, Paige prepared to unleash her own attack.  
  
"No!" Chris yelled as he restrained her.  
  
"What are you doing??"  
  
Chris quickly unleashed a strange light from his hands, and it temporarily blinded the demons. "It won't do any good! They'll just absorb your powers and use it back against you."  
  
"What?? Then how are we going to kill these things?"  
  
"You can't," Chris answered grimly. "You have to get out of here." At that moment, two more Tekanogs appeared, essentially surrounding them.  
  
"Chris, orb us out of here!"  
  
"I can't. If we do that, they'll follow you and you still won't safe."  
  
"Then what are we going to do? Just stand here?"  
  
Chris bent down to help Phoebe to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.  
  
"I'm fine. But what are we going to do?"  
  
Turning to Paige, he quickly formulated a plan in his head. "I'm going to distract them. When I give you the signal, you and Phoebe get out of the manor through the opening that I'll give you."  
  
"And how are you going to get out?"  
  
"I'll join you once I've dealt with the Tekanogs. Go find Piper and Wyatt. Make sure they don't come back to the manor until I meet up with you."  
  
"You're all doomed," one of the Tekanogs threatened as it regained its eyesight. It unleashed a fireball towards the witches but was countered by an energy ball from Chris.  
  
The Whitelighter quickly unleashed another attack, temporarily immobilizing two of the demons. "Go!! Now!!" he yelled as he turned his attention to the other two Tekenogs.  
  
"Be careful, Chris!" Paige called out before running from the manor with Phoebe. Once they were safely out of the Tekenog's sight, Paige orbbed them to a quiet side street on the other side of town close to where Piper and Wyatt were doing their shopping.  
  
After walking for a minute or two, they located Piper and Wyatt in the supermarket parking lot. "Fancy seeing you two here," Piper said she loaded the groceries into the trunk of the car. "Get in, I'll give you a ride back home."  
  
"Can't," Paige replied. "We can't go back."  
  
Piper narrowed her eyes at that comment. "What exactly do you mean we can't go back?"  
  
"The manor is under attack," Phoebe answered, finally recovering from her encounter with the Tekenogs.  
  
"By what?" Piper yelled, not caring that she was in a public parking lot.  
  
"Don't ask, it's not pretty," Phoebe answered.  
  
"So why did you just leave? Wouldn't it make more sense to kill them?"  
  
"We can't. The demons absorb our powers and then use it back on us."  
  
"Wonderful," Piper bemoaned. "And just what are we supposed to do now? Roam the earth and hope they never find us? And where the hell is Chris? What good is a Whitelighter who doesn't show up when needed?"  
  
"He's actually back at the manor fighting the Tekenogs," Phoebe answered matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh good. Leave the manor to him. I bet you he's in cahoots with the demons to get you out of the manor."  
  
"What?" Paige exclaimed, not believing what she had just heard.  
  
"He's risking his life to save us, Piper," Phoebe answered, just as annoyed at hearing those comments from Piper.  
  
Before the argument could escalate, Chris orbbed in and rejoined the sisters.  
  
"Are you okay?" Paige asked with a concerned look.  
  
"Won't be okay for long if we don't get a move on," he answered. "We have to get out of here and away from the city before anyone gets hurt." Chris grabbed Phoebe's hand and orbbed to a field away from the city. Paige followed quickly with Piper and Wyatt.  
  
They barely had time to catch their breaths before the four Tekenogs appeared. "There's nowhere to run, Charmed Ones."  
  
"Even your Whitelighter won't be able to save you now," announced another.  
  
"Stay behind me," Chris instructed as he stepped in front to shield his charges. He met the power of the Tekenogs with his own as they battled for supremacy. The four demons, combining their forces, overwhelmed the young Whitelighter as one of the Tekenogs struck Chris with its powerful arms, sending him crashing against a tree.  
  
"Chris!"  
  
"Stay away," Chris called out to the witches as pain surged through his body. The young Whitelighter launched another attack but was easily rebuffed by the demons. Together they manhandled Chris like a rag doll, slowly dismantling him before the Charmed Ones' eyes. Another energy ball crashed into Chris as his limp body flew through the air and landed several feet from Paige.  
  
Paige rushed to his side, praying that he was okay. "It's no use, Chris. They're just too strong," she admitted with resignation.  
  
The sinister laughter of the Tekenogs grew louder as they smelled victory.  
  
"Power of Three," Chris whispered, his voice coarse and weak.  
  
"It'll just absorb it and use it back on us, remember?" Phoebe joined in.  
  
"Only if the power comes directly from you," Chris corrected.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"As long as you channel the power through some intermediary, it'll have an effect on them."  
  
"Okay, but what or who would be stupid enough to act as the intermediary? They might as well go and commit suicide," Phoebe grimly observed.  
  
Chris didn't answer and just looked at the three witches. "Absolutely not," Phoebe answered when she realized that Chris meant. "We are not using you to channel our powers. Do you even know what could happen to you if we did that?"  
  
"Do you know what would happen if you don't?" Chris asked, his voice too weak to sound sarcastic. "It's your only chance."  
  
"No," Paige said. "This is too dangerous. There's no telling what would happen if we tried this."  
  
"We have no choice, Paige," Chris pleaded. "Don't fail the future again. You don't know what it's like to live in a world ruled by demons. I'm begging you."  
  
Reluctantly, the Charmed Ones did as Chris requested. They helped the Whitelighter to his feet before channeling the Power of Three through him, none of them knowing the consequences of their decision.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 6  
  
Chris began to convulse violently as the Charmed Ones channeled their power through him. The pain that the Whitelighter experienced was excruciating. He felt like he was being torn apart and the pain steadily increased.  
  
"We can't do this," Paige cried. "We're going to kill him!"  
  
The Tekenog combined their powers as they tried to counter the Power of Three. To their surprise, the Charmed Ones began to gain the upper hand, slowly but surely.  
  
"We have to stop!" Paige pleaded as she saw Chris in agonizing pain.  
  
"Don't stop," Chris thought to himself. "Don't stop now!!" his mind screamed, hoping that the three witches would not give up.  
  
The battle raged on as the Power of Three began to dominate the struggle. With a massive surge of power, the Charmed Ones overwhelmed the Tekenogs, blasting them into oblivion. The power of the blast knocked the three witches off of their feet, sending them sprawling on the ground. The sudden withdrawal of energy sapped the Whitelighter of his strength and he slumped to the ground.  
  
After regaining her bearings, Paige scrambled to her feet and ran to where Chris was lying. "Chris, are you okay?" She began to panic when she got no answer. "Chris! Answer me!!"  
  
Phoebe and Piper soon joined her as they tried to revive Chris. Finally, he began to stir.  
  
"Thank god you're okay, Chris!" Paige cried out, not realizing that she was in tears.  
  
Chris clutched his head and groaned. "Ugh.I think I'm going to need some major doses of Tylenol."  
  
"How do you feel?" Phoebe asked as she helped him to his feet.  
  
"Crappy," he answered with a faint smirk. "Remind me not to come up with this sort of suggestion next time 'round." Turning to Paige, who was busy wiping the tears from her face, the Whitelighter's smirk only grew. "Are you crying, Paige? That's so sweet!" he laughed good-naturedly.  
  
"In your dreams, Christopher. I've got dust in my eyes," she retorted not very convincingly.  
  
"Ahh," Chris answered with a straight face, "my bad.my bad."  
  
"Do you think you're strong energy to orb back to the manor?"  
  
"Let's find out!" With that, Chris took Phoebe's hand and orbbed them back to the Halliwell manor, followed closely by Paige, Piper, and Wyatt.  
  
"Well, that was an eventful day!" Phoebe announced once they finally settled down. "The next challenge is to get dinner ready before we all starve to death."  
  
"Keep things simple. I just want to eat," Piper suggested. "None of that fancy stuff tonight, okay?"  
  
"Don't worry, I wasn't planning to slave away at the stove after that little battle," Phoebe replied. "Why don't you go get Wyatt settled down and feed him first? And Chris, you're staying for dinner."  
  
The look on Phoebe's face told the young Whitelighter that there was no point in protesting. "Thanks, Phoebe," he answered softly.  
  
"I'm going to take a shower first," Paige announced. "My body aches like crazy."  
  
That left Chris sitting alone on the living couch, still trying to recuperate from the huge amounts of energy that he drained earlier. After resting for a while, he joined Phoebe in the kitchen.  
  
"Need help?"  
  
"I'm alright," Phoebe answered as she stirred the pasta sauce. "Shouldn't you be resting up?"  
  
"Nah, I'm okay. A little banged up but I think I'll survive."  
  
"That's good to hear."  
  
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I guess you three are stuck with me for a while longer," the Whitelighter joked as he began to set the dinner table.  
  
"You know, when you first showed up, could've sworn you were a troublemaker."  
  
Chris laughed at the comment. "Somehow I think I figured that part out pretty quickly. I must admit, I can be quite a handful."  
  
"But," she continued, "I must also admit that I've been a pretty bad judge of your character."  
  
"Oh, this I got to hear. The great Phoebe Halliwell is about to make a confession."  
  
"Very funny. But seriously, what you did today was very brave. I really didn't expect you to do what you did."  
  
Chris simply shrugged at the comment. "That's my job," he answered matter- of-factly. "That's what Whitelighters are supposed to do."  
  
"Well, thank you all the same," Phoebe said, genuinely grateful. "You saved our lives today."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Chris answered, slightly embarrassed. "I just wish you would all trust me."  
  
"We do trust you, Chris."  
  
"Actually, you do. And Paige does."  
  
"Piper trusts you."  
  
"No she doesn't. I can feel it. Even after today, she still doesn't trust me," Chris lamented. "I don't think she likes me very much."  
  
"Don't be silly, Chris. She's just going through a hard time now."  
  
"I guess. She probably blames me for Leo being gone."  
  
"Don't blame her, Chris. It's hard for you to understand."  
  
"Oh I understand alright," Chris cut in. "She isn't the only one who has lost people close to them, you know. The only difference is that I don't go around trying to blame it on innocent people."  
  
"Chris." Both Phoebe and Chris turn around to see Piper standing in the doorway. "Can I speak to you for a moment. Alone?"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 7  
  
Chris followed Piper upstairs into the library, closing the door behind him. "What's so important that you can't say it to me in front of your sisters?"  
  
"You listen to me and you listen carefully," Piper hissed, on wanting to wake Wyatt, who was sleeping next door. "Don't you go around badmouthing me, you understand?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't play innocent with me because you're anything but innocent. And for the record, I'm not blaming innocent people for my misfortunes."  
  
Chris scoffed at Piper's comments. "Yeah right. As if your intense dislike of me has nothing to do with what happened with Leo."  
  
"Do not bring Leo into this," Piper shot back as she walked closer to Chris. "I know you had something to do with this. I don't know what or how, but when I find out, you're going to wish you had stayed in the future."  
  
Chris threw up his hands in total frustration. "Oh my god!" he exclaimed, "you still don't believe me!"  
  
"Would I be so stupid as to believe someone who claim to come from the future and yet refuses to answer any of my questions regarding his identity and his intentions?"  
  
"Did I not show you the way to defeat the Tekenogs?"  
  
Piper snickered at the comment. "How do I know that you weren't in cahoots with them in the first place?"  
  
"You know what?" Chris was practically shouting now and he didn't really care who he woke up. "Think what you want, because I don't really give a damn what you think." The young Whitelighter turned and stormed out of the room in absolute rage, slamming the door behind him. He was met at the bottom of the stairs by Phoebe, who was just heading upstairs to see what the commotion was all about.  
  
"What's going on here?" Phoebe asked as Chris stormed down the stairs.  
  
"Why don't you go ask your sister?" Chris answered, his voice biting with bitterness before brushing past her and out the door.  
  
"Chris! Wait!" Phoebe called out to no avail.  
  
"What's going on here?" Paige asked as she emerged from the bathroom. "The whole neighbourhood can hear you guys shouting."  
  
Reaching the top of the stairs, Phoebe found Piper in the nursery checking up on Wyatt. "Piper?"  
  
"Yes, Phoebe?" Piper answered, smiling.  
  
"What just happened between you and Chris?"  
  
"We just talked for a bit."  
  
"About what?" Phoebe asked. "And why did he storm out of the house?"  
  
"What? Chris left?" Paige asked as she joined the two witches.  
  
"Yes," Phoebe answered while looking at Piper. "He was apparently quite upset after his conversation with Piper. What exactly was the topic of your conversation?"  
  
"I was just being honest with him, giving him a piece of my mind, that's all," Piper answered matter-of-factly.  
  
"Don't tell me you still don't trust him?" Paige asked, completely perplexed.  
  
"Of course I don't trust him. There are just too many unanswered questions."  
  
"I can't believe this!" Phoebe exclaimed, her hands in her hair. "Why won't you trust him, even after what he did for us today?"  
  
"Don't you find it too convenient that he knew how to defeat the Tekenogs? He sure looked like a hero after today's little act."  
  
"Little act?" Paige yelled. "You think he and the Tekenogs conspired to fool us?"  
  
"Don't you think you're being a little too paranoid?" Phoebe reasoned.  
  
"I'm being careful, unlike the two of you," Piper admonished. "How easily you two fall for his supposed charms."  
  
"I'm not even going to go there with you," an annoyed Paige answered before walking out of the room.  
  
Phoebe merely shook her head in disbelief before going back downstairs.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Well?" Phoebe asked as she cleaned up the kitchen after a tense dinner.  
  
"No answer," Paige replied as she dialed the number for the tenth time. Walking into the kitchen, she sat down at the kitchen table and sighed. "You know what, I'm just going to go over to make sure he is okay."  
  
Phoebe raised her eyebrows in surprise at Paige's comment. "You're that worried about him? He's a big boy you know. I'm sure he's capable of taking care of himself."  
  
"I just want to see if he's alright, that's all. It's the least I can do after he saved my life."  
  
Phoebe nodded while wearing a knowing smile. "Can it be?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Can it be that my dear Paige has found her Prince Charming?"  
  
"Oh would you please cut it out? You and your imagination," Paige answered distractedly. "I didn't realize you were writing romance columns now."  
  
"Deny all you want, but it's so blatantly clear," Phoebe replied with a triumphant smirk. "Actually, I think you two would make a rather cute couple. He suits you, if you ask my personal opinion."  
  
"Whatever," Paige replied as she walked out the door. "I'm going to check up on him."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris sat on the couch in his dark apartment as he stared out into the bustling city. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of a young man's melodic voice:  
  
Tell me his name I want to know  
  
The way he looks and where you go  
  
I need to see his face I need to understand Why you and I came to an end  
  
Tell me again I want to hear Who broke my faith in all these years Who lays with you at night while I'm here all alone Remembering when I was you own  
  
I let you go I let you fly Why do I keep on asking why I let you go now that I found A way to keep somehow More than a broken vow  
  
Tell me the words I never said Show me the tears you never shed Give me the touch the one you promised to be mine Or has it vanished for all time  
  
I let you go I let you fly Why do I keep on asking why I let you go now that I found A way to keep somehow More than a broken vow  
  
I close my eyes And dream of you and I and then I realize There's more to love than only bitterness and lies I close my eyes  
  
I'd give away my soul to hold you once again And never let those moments end I let you go I let you fly Why do I keep on asking why I let you go now that I found A way to keep somehow More than a broken vow.  
  
The tears streamed down the young Whitelighter's face as the music played. "Why, Annette? Why?"  
  
~ to be continued ~  
  
* Lyrics from Broken Vow, sung by Josh Groban. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 8  
  
Paige waited for several minutes before deciding to try the door. She found it odd that the apartment was dark even though she could hear the sound of the radio inside. She turned the doorknob and found it unlocked. Stepping inside quietly, she took a moment to adjust to the darkness. Taking several more tentative steps, she could make out the Chris' form on the sofa. His body slumped forward, she could make out his wracking sobs. They were soft sobs but to Paige, they were the only sounds that she could hear.  
  
She instinctively sat beside Chris and pulled him close, hugging him and comforting him. "Shh," she whispered, "it's okay, Chris. Everything's going to be alright."  
  
"No they won't," Chris whispered back, his voice thick with anguish.  
  
"Tell me what's wrong, Chris," she coaxed gently. "What did Piper say to you?"  
  
Chris pulled away from Paige, slightly embarrassed by the display of his weakness. "The same old stuff," he answered simply.  
  
"You know, she doesn't mean.."  
  
"Doesn't mean it, right?" Chris finished for her. "I've heard that one before."  
  
"I don't understand why she has such a hard time accepting you," Paige remarked. "I mean, she's usually not like this."  
  
"Because to her, I'm an eyesore, that's why."  
  
"Don't say that, Chris."  
  
"It's true. Every time she sees me, it reminds her of the husband that she lost. To her, Leo would never be gone if I had never shown up. Don't you see? She hates me and she will always hate me because to her I will always be the one who broke up her happy family."  
  
Paige didn't have an answer to Chris' response. While she hoped that it wasn't true, Chris' reasoning made a lot of sense. "She'll come around eventually, Chris. Don't give up now."  
  
"Do I have a choice? It's my job to protect her. That's why I'm here. Hopefully your next Whitelighter will have an easier time."  
  
Paige turned to Chris with a confused expression. "What next Whitelighter?"  
  
"Once I'm gone, you'll need another Whitelighter, wouldn't you?"  
  
"What do you mean gone? Where are you planning to go?"  
  
"Never mind. It's not important anyways," Chris answered half-heartedly as he gazed out the window.  
  
Paige remained silent for a while as she contemplated Chris' words. She had no idea what he meant but she didn't like the sound of it. The truth was that Phoebe wasn't entirely off the wall when she suggested that she had feelings for Chris. Yes, she admitted that she liked Chris. But she knew almost nothing about her mysterious Whitelighter and she was actually looking forward to getting to know him. This latest twist about him being gone bothered Paige more than she would have liked.  
  
Then there was the other question that was on her mind. "Who is Annette?"  
  
"What did you say?" Chris asked. Paige looked startled for a minute, not realizing that she had actually said her thoughts aloud.  
  
"You kept repeating the name Annette when I was coming in. Who is she?"  
  
"She was my everything," he replied, his voice threatening to break again.  
  
Chris' use of the past tense was not lost on Paige, but she wasn't sure if she should continue asking or not. Lucky for her, Chris continued to speak, saving her from having to ask such an awkward question.  
  
~ flashback (or more accurately, "flashforward") begins ~  
  
"Oh Chris, they are beautiful!" Annette hugged Chris and the two shared a loving kiss. "I still can't believe how lucky I am. That's what all the girls keep telling me too."  
  
Chris laughed and hugged Annette again. "Funny, I could've sworn I was the luckiest guy alive. Guess you beat me to it!"  
  
Annette pulled Chris close and the two shared a moment of tranquility with each other. "I just wished everyday would be like today. That would be so perfect."  
  
"That day will come," Chris answered with a genuine smile. "Once we defeat the Titans, everything will get back to normal again."  
  
Annette's smile faded and she shook her head sadly. "No it won't, Chris. Things will never be normal again. The Titans can never be defeated. Yes, we might win a few battles, but at what cost? Our friends are dying and we lose more of them with each fight. When will it be our turn to perish?"  
  
"We won't perish, Annette. We're going to win this. Don't give up now!"  
  
"I'm not giving up. I'm just putting things into perspective," Annette reasoned. "We have to think about our future too, you know."  
  
"So what do you have in mind?"  
  
"Well, it's always beneficial to be on the winning side in any battle. And this time is no exception."  
  
Chris wore a puzzled look as he tried to understand what Annette was saying. "So, what you mean is."  
  
"We agree to help the Titans."  
  
"You're kidding, right?"  
  
"Chris, I would never joke about these things."  
  
"How could you even suggest these things? There's no way we can help the Titans! We can't betray our friends, our families, our beliefs!"  
  
Annette turned away sadly. "I knew this was how you would react, that's why I didn't tell you about it sooner."  
  
"Tell me about it sooner?" Chris asked as he grew more upset by the minute. "You mean you've been thinking about this for a while now?"  
  
Annette nodded in acknowledgement. "I figured that maybe your love for me would be enough to convince you to join me. We can build a future together Chris. The Titans would make us powerful!"  
  
"There is no way I'm going to defect to the Titans, Annette. How could you?" he asked, blinking back tears. This wasn't the Annette that he thought he knew. What happened to their ideals? What happened to their promise to destroy the Titans and restore the world to order?  
  
Suddenly, Chris realized that they were not alone. "What do you want, Akradonis?" he demanded.  
  
His eyes grew wide as Annette walked over to Akradonis and took his hand. "I can't get him to agree," she said as she smiled at him.  
  
"Annette?" Chris asked, totally bewildered. "Do you even know who he is?"  
  
"Of course she does, Christopher," Akradonis answered. "We know each other quite - intimately."  
  
Chris felt like he had been punched in the stomach and found it hard to breathe. "Annette. How could you??"  
  
Annette looked at him and smiled. "I gave you a chance, Chris. I thought you loved me but I guess this was all a lie."  
  
"Annette! Don't do this? You can't mess with him!" Chris pleaded.  
  
Akradonis laughed at the comment. "Do you realize how pathetic you look and sound right now?"  
  
In his fury, Chris summoned his power and hurled an energy ball towards Akradonis. To his dismay, Annette summoned her powers to neutralize it. Before he had a chance to react, both Annette and Akradonis hurled their powers towards Chris. The combined force was too much for him and Chris was hurled against the cliff. His eyes tearing from pain but more from the anguish of betrayal, he only looked on helplessly as Annette and Akradonis kissed. They did it slowly and deliberately, in full view of Chris, rubbing salt and humiliation into his wounds. As he watched the scene unfold, Chris felt any strength to fight back fade away. His heart was torn to pieces and he just wanted to die. Anything but to experience this pain, this anguish, this betrayal.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 9  
  
~ back to the present ~  
  
Chris buried his face in his hands as he struggled to control his emotions. Paige felt her heart ache as she listened to Chris' story.  
  
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I had no idea."  
  
"I had never loved anyone like I had loved Annette," Chris continued. "I gave her everything I had. You wouldn't believe how much it hurt when my heart was ripped out."  
  
"So what did you do?"  
  
"After getting over the hurt, I became angry and cold. It was the only way that I could think of to cope."  
  
"Somehow I find it hard to picture you as the cold and uncaring type," Paige remarked. "I don't think you have it in you."  
  
"You'll be surprised what love can do to you. I kept telling myself that it was Annette's fault. I figured that if I really hated her, then it would make things easier."  
  
"But it didn't, did it?"  
  
The young Whitelighter shook his head. "Nope. Things just got worse from there. She was always by Akradonis' side."  
  
"So you saw her again after that day?"  
  
"Quite a few times, actually. You could say that we met on the battlefield. She aligned herself with the forces of evil, so that made her my enemy."  
  
"Must have been tough for you to see her under those circumstances."  
  
Chris laughed bitterly. "Yeah, you could say that. Three times. Three times I had the chance to vanquish her, but."  
  
"But you didn't have the heart to do it," Paige finished for him.  
  
Chris shook his head in disgust again. "Pretty pathetic, huh? So much for fighting for the forces of good."  
  
Paige wrapped her arm around Chris' shoulder and hugged him. "No, it's not pathetic. I'm not sure I would've done it differently had I been in the same situation. It just shows that you have a big heart, that's all."  
  
"Not that it got me anywhere."  
  
"So what happened to Annette?"  
  
"She died," Chris whispered, choking back his tears. "And it was my fault," he finished he sobbed again.  
  
"Hush," Paige urged as the Whitelighter broke down in tears again. "It wasn't your fault, Chris."  
  
"It was," Chris answered. "She asked me to help her. She told me that she was helping Akradonis because he had cast a spell on her. But I didn't believe her. I told myself that I wouldn't fall for her schemes again and that I would finally stand firm."  
  
"But she was telling the truth?"  
  
The young Whitelighter nodded as tears streamed down his face. "I could've saved her, but I chose to ignore her. Akradonis killed her. He had cast a spell on her so that he could slowly absorb her powers."  
  
Paige gasped in dismay as she found that her eyes were also tearing.  
  
"See? It was my fault. I killed her. I killed Annette."  
  
"No, Chris. You made a mistake.but you didn't kill her. You couldn't have known." After another moment of silence, Paige decided to ask another question. "So what did you do after that?"  
  
~ flashforward ~  
  
"Stop! Who goes there?" the demonic guard bellowed.  
  
"Get out of my way."  
  
"How dare you intrude on the palace of Akradonis? Prepare to die!"  
  
Chris raised his hand and unleashed an energy ball, incinerating the demon. Without a word, he marched deep into the palace of evil. After destroying countless demon soldiers, Chris finally reached the main throne room. Blasting the doors open, he walked in to see Akradonis sitting on his throne.  
  
"Christopher!" Akradonis greeted sarcastically. "I was wondering how long it would take you to get here. I'm disappointed it took you so long!"  
  
"I had pity on you and decided to give you a few more minutes to live," Chris replied cockily.  
  
"Ahh. Always so cocky - and so foolish. You really think you can defeat me with your pathetic powers?"  
  
"Definitely - with plenty to spare too."  
  
Akradonis laughed as he fired off a powerful energy ball, knocking Chris from his feet and sending him sprawling. "And you were saying?"  
  
Chris struggled to his feet and unleashed his own energy ball but was horrified to see Akradonis simply absorb his power.  
  
"You see? You pathetic 'powers' are useless on me," the demon answered. "Now prepare to be destroyed!"  
  
Chris quickly jumped out of the way as a fireballs rained down on him. Concentrating as hard as he could, he summoned everything that he had and fired it towards Akradonis. He was rewarded with an agonized scream.  
  
"How could you?? Impossible!!!"  
  
"That's for Annette, you bastard!!"  
  
The demon struggled in vain to save himself. "How could you summon the power of Hades?? That's." Before he could finish, Akradonis gave another agonizing shriek before disappearing in a pool of black blood, vanquished forever.  
  
The ground shook and the wind howled as Akradonis' palace began to crumble. Huge stones started to fall as the building began its collapse. "How dare you??" A voice boomed.  
  
Chris struggled to stay on his feet as the ground continued to shake violently. A falling brick knocked him to the ground as a demonic form appeared. Chris gasped in horror. "Arkon?"  
  
"You fool! How dare you kill my son!"  
  
"Damn you, Arkon. I killed Arkadonis and I can kill you too!"  
  
Arkon laughed as he raised his hand. Chris began to scream in pain as a mysterious force began to tear his body in different directions, threatening to break him into pieces. "AAAAHHHHHHHH!!" he cried out, the pain unbearable.  
  
"You dare to commit the transgression of killing my son, Christopher. And now - YOU MUST DIE!!!"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 10  
  
~ flashforward continues from last chapter ~  
  
The pain was so great that Chris was quickly losing consciousness. Laughing sadistically, Arkon infused another dose of demonic power into Chris, preventing him from blacking out.  
  
"You're not going to have this the easy way, Christopher," Arkon laughed. "I want you to experience every second of this pain and agony. Don't you worry, you won't die just yet. I've given you a dose of my very special spell. I want you to die a slow, agonizing, and painful death!!"  
  
Chris was screaming out in agony. When he was sure that he could not longer endure the pain, a huge gust of wind blew into the building and bright light shone everywhere.  
  
"What's this?" Arkon shouted, furious at being interrupted.  
  
"You have quite some nerve to abuse your power as such, Arkon," the voice replied as an old man appeared, accompanied by a few other middle-aged men.  
  
"If it isn't Afilla and his legion of gods. What a pleasant surprise!" Arkon remarked sarcastically. "If you know what's good for you, you would mind your own business. This punk is mine!"  
  
Chris struggled to get up as the events unfolded. Pain shot through his body and he felt paralyzed.  
  
"Leave Christopher to us and we will let this incident go. Otherwise, you will be quite sorry, Arkon."  
  
"Never!" Arkon barked as he attacked the intruders, only to be overwhelmed by the power of the gods. Realizing that he was no match for the gods, he conceded his defeat. "Very well, Afilla. This punk is yours - but I will not forget this day." With that, Arkon disappeared.  
  
Afilla and the gods descended to the ground and stood in front of where Chris was lying. Struggling to get up once again, Chris gave up as the pain overwhelmed him. He began to shiver and convulse violently. "Please," he begged, "help me."  
  
"Christopher, you have disgraced the forces of good," Afilla rebuked sternly.  
  
"No," Chris sobbed. "Akradonis killed Annette. He killed Annette."  
  
"You killed Annette, Christopher, because of your pride and selfishness. Didn't we warn you that this day would occur if you didn't put your ego to rest?"  
  
Afilla's words stung Chris. He never felt that he was responsible for Annette's death - until now. Could it be? Could it be that he himself was responsible for Annette's demise?  
  
And the gods didn't stop there. "To make things worse, you dared to summon the power of Hades - the powers of evil - in your bid to exact revenge. You have committed the greatest transgression possible."  
  
Afilla's damning accusations blew out the faint glimmer of hope that Chris had. Arkon might be gone but it was clear that the gods would not spare him either.  
  
"Just kill me," Chris whispered. "Just let me die."  
  
"You are in no position to demand anything Christopher," Afilla chided. "We will uphold Arkon's curse on you."  
  
Chris' heart sank as he heard the verdict. The gods had effectively condemned him to death. He knew that there was no way he could escape this predicament.  
  
"But," Afilla continued, "given the many deeds that you had done for the forces of good, we will give you one chance at redemption."  
  
At this point, Chris didn't really care. He just wanted to die. After all, he had already lost everything.  
  
"You will be sent back to the not-too-distant past. If you can change the history of mankind, and prevent chaos from enslaving them, we may consider removing Arkon's curse from you. If you fail, that you will be condemned to suffer the painful, agonizing death that Arkon has bestowed on you."  
  
~ back to the present ~  
  
"So that's why you are here," Paige remarked as she finally put the pieces together.  
  
"Like I told you before, I didn't choose to come here," Chris answered. "I've got nothing to gain by hurting you and your sisters."  
  
"I know that you're not here to hurt us. You've already proved that on more than one occasion."  
  
Chris smiled weakly at the comment. He never really considered delving into why he came back from the future with anyone before. The thought scared him somewhat, making him feel vulnerable. "Please don't tell anyone about what I told you tonight."  
  
Paige looked at Chris and could not help but feel for him. "You have my word." Another moment of silence passed before Paige spoke again. "Oh, before I forget, Phoebe asked me to make sure that you had dinner. I brought some stuff over."  
  
Chris laughed softly. "You treat me like I'm a helpless four-year-old." He grinned as he saw Paige's mock angry look. "But thank you. I appreciate it."  
  
As Chris sat in the kitchen table eating his very belated dinner, Paige sat across from him, gazing into his mesmerizing eyes and trying to sort through all the information that she had learned from Chris. She was so deep in thought that she almost didn't even hear Chris ask her a question. "Sorry, what did you say?"  
  
"I asked if I have something stuck on my face or something. You've been staring at me funny for a while."  
  
Paige could feel her face becoming red with embarrassment. "Uh nothing. I was, uh, just thinking about some stuff," she stammered. "So what are your plans?" Paige asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"You mean getting a job and stuff?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Well, I have an interview tomorrow morning."  
  
"Really? That's great!"  
  
"Well, we'll see what happens."  
  
"I'm sure you'll do great, Chris."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Ugh, gridlock," Chris thought to himself. "Why did traffic always have to be such a nightmare in San Francisco?" If he had his way, he would orb himself to the interview, but it was too risky to do it in public unless he absolutely had to. After what seemed like hours, Chris finally arrived at his destination. He was quickly ushered into the office where a young lady was waiting for him. He smirked to himself as he saw the dreamy look on the young lady's face.  
  
"Hi, I'm Melanie."  
  
"Nice to meet you. I'm Chris."  
  
"Well, Chris, I'm really glad you came today. We've had such a hard time finding the right person for this position. You'd think a city the size of San Francisco would have a few more eligible candidates."  
  
Chris said nothing but smiled politely.  
  
"So you've done photo shoots and other similar projects before?"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 11  
  
"I've had some experience," Chris answered confidently. "Nothing that I can't handle."  
  
"Excellent," Melanie answered. "Right now, if you decide to join us, you will start off on a part-time basis. As you gain more experience, we may be able to get you in on a full-time basis."  
  
"That sounds fine with me. Actually, part-time would probably work better for me at this point."  
  
"Very good," she answered with a smile. "Actually, you are the perfect candidate for this position. We've been looking for someone like you for a while now. I think that you will be able to fit in with a number of our current projects." Melanie walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out a file. "Why don't you take this home with you and read up on the information. It basically lists all of our client's requirements and what would be expected of you on this project."  
  
Taking the file, Chris quickly glanced at the information inside. "I think this should be no problem at all."  
  
"Perfect!" Melanie exclaimed excitedly. "In that case, why don't you come in tomorrow morning at around the same time and we can get started?"  
  
"Sounds good!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Oh Wyatt, it's okay," Paige whispered. "You mom will be home soon." To her dismay, the baby continued to cry with no sign of stopping any time soon. "Oh come on, Wyatt, don't do this to me," she pleaded in vain.  
  
"You know, maybe trying to feed him would help."  
  
Paige turned to see Chris in the doorway, wearing his trademark smirk.  
  
"Oh, and I suppose you are an expert in babysitting?" she answered with mock anger.  
  
"Just one of my many talents," the young Whitelighter quipped as he handed her a bottle. Sure enough, Wyatt stopped crying as he drank happily from the bottle.  
  
"Okay, you can stop gloating already," Paige ordered as a triumphant grin made its way to Chris' face.  
  
"I wasn't aware I was gloating," Chris smiled as he made his way to the kitchen.  
  
"Well, you were," informed Paige as she followed him. "But enough about that. How was your interview?"  
  
"Good."  
  
"Good? That's it? Good?"  
  
An amused grin on his face, he simply nodded. "What else were you expecting?"  
  
"Details, Chris! Details!"  
  
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough."  
  
"Must you always be this cryptic?"  
  
"Another one of my talents."  
  
"Whatever," Paige answered, aware that she was wearing a big smile on her face. For some reason, she always felt like this when she bantered with Chris. It was then that she noticed the numerous bags of groceries on the floor.  
  
"What's that? Don't tell me you went grocery shopping after your job interview."  
  
"Why not? It was on the way. And besides, how am I going to make dinner if I don't get groceries?"  
  
"And now you're a master chef too?"  
  
Chris laughed at the comment. "I wouldn't go that far, but you're pretty close."  
  
Paige rolled her eyes and laughed, giving up at last. "And how many days are you planning to take to eat all that food?"  
  
"Oh, that's all for tonight's dinner."  
  
"How much can you eat for one meal?"  
  
"Well, there are four of us, you know."  
  
Paige's eyes went wide as she realized the implications of Chris' words. "Wait a minute here, you're making dinner? For all of us?"  
  
"Uh, that was the idea," Chris answered hesitantly.  
  
"Here? In Phoebe's kitchen?"  
  
"Don't worry. I'm not going to burn it down."  
  
"You do realize you're putting yourself in master chef Phoebe's line of fire, right?"  
  
"I'm not the least bit worried," he answered with a mischievous grin.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I'm home!" Phoebe's voice echoed through the manor.  
  
"In the living room," Paige called back as she flipped through another magazine.  
  
"So how was your day?"  
  
"Not bad at all, I must say."  
  
"Wyatt give you any trouble?"  
  
"Nothing that I couldn't handle. He's sleeping upstairs."  
  
Phoebe was able to say something when a noise in the kitchen alerted her. "Piper got home early today?"  
  
Paige gave her a confused look. "Nope. She said that she's actually running a bit late today. Things at the club."  
  
"I see," Phoebe answered deliberately. "Then who's in the kitchen?"  
  
"That would be me," Chris announced cheerfully as he emerged from the kitchen.  
  
"Chris? What are you doing in there?"  
  
"Hmmm," the Whitelighter mused, "cooking?"  
  
"Oh no you don't," Phoebe ordered as she marched towards the kitchen. "You are so not messing up my kitchen."  
  
"Chill out, Phoebe," Chris answered. "I've got everything under control."  
  
Ignoring him, Phoebe walked into the kitchen to see food and cooking utensils everywhere. "Oh my god! What are you doing??"  
  
Chris simply smiled and went back to the counter, where he was preparing an assortment of vegetables. "Trust me, Phoebe, you kitchen will be fine. Why don't you just sit back and relax and dinner will be ready in no time."  
  
"Wait a minute. You're cooking?"  
  
"That's what it looks like."  
  
Phoebe's laughter filled the manor. "Well, this I've got to see."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"How's Wyatt?" Phoebe asked as she sat at the dinner table waiting for Chris to emerge from the kitchen.  
  
"Still sleeping," Piper answered. "Which means we can have dinner in peace, hopefully."  
  
"Yeah, assuming we don't starve to death," Phoebe replied with a laugh.  
  
"Hey," Paige protested with a playful punch to Phoebe's arm. "Be nice."  
  
The three sisters continued to talk as Chris finally emerged from the kitchen. "Sorry for the wait," he apologized sheepishly. "Timing was a little off today."  
  
All three sisters' gasped in surprise as they looked at their dinner. Their mouths were open but no sounds came out.  
  
Finally, Chris finished bringing out dinner and took his place at the table. Seeing the looks of surprise, he asked with a tinge of uncertainty, "Is everything okay?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Phoebe finally answered. "I just wasn't expecting a gourmet multi-course dinner."  
  
"You made this?" Piper asked disbelievingly.  
  
"Unbelievable," Phoebe said in a half-whisper, awe apparent in her voice.  
  
"I had no idea you could cook like this," Paige remarked.  
  
"Well, I've had plenty of practice," Chris shrugged.  
  
"Hmm, this is absolutely delicious!" Phoebe exclaimed. "What exactly is it?"  
  
Chris laughed light-heartedly at Phoebe's reaction. "Chicken à la Chris Perry."  
  
"You've got to be kidding."  
  
"I'm serious," Chris protested.  
  
"Okay. I want the recipe for this. Understand?"  
  
"I'm sure we can work something out."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Chris, you're not washing dishes," Paige and Phoebe ordered.  
  
"Why not? It's not like I'm going to break your dishes or something."  
  
Paige sighed in frustration. "You already spent the whole afternoon slaving away in the kitchen. Now go and get some rest. We don't want the Elders on our backs asking us why we're using our Whitelighter as our maid."  
  
"Okay, okay," Chris conceded. "Call me if you need anything."  
  
"We'll be fine, Chris," Paige and Phoebe answered in unison.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Phoebe? Is that you?" Piper asked as she put her clothes back into the dresser. Getting no answer, she turned towards the door, only to find Chris standing there. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Can we talk?"  
  
"No. I'm busy," Piper answered curtly.  
  
"Well, that's too bad. You're going to listen to what I have to say."  
  
"Get out, Chris," she ordered, her voice low and even.  
  
Ignoring her, Chris walked towards her and closed the door behind him. "I will get out once I've said what I want to say."  
  
"No."  
  
Grabbing her arms, Chris glared at Piper. "I wasn't asking for your permission."  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 12  
  
"Let go of me," Piper yelled angrily. When Chris refused to budge, she shoved him again and slapped him hard across his face.  
  
A flicker of shock and hurt flashed across the young Whitelighter's face before it quickly disappeared again.  
  
"Don't you ever touch me again," Piper warned, her face red with fury.  
  
"You really do blame me," Chris muttered as the realization dawned on him.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Chris laughed bitterly, completely ignoring Piper. "I thought maybe my feelings were wrong. But I guess I had been right all along. You do blame me for Leo being gone."  
  
"Who else would I blame?" Piper shot back. "If you had never shown up, Leo and I would still be together. Wyatt would still have a father. But because of you, I lost everything!"  
  
"Oh grow up, Piper," Chris yelled in response. "If I hadn't shown up, your sisters would be dead by now."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself, Chris. You might believe that you're a Whitelighter, but you're nothing compared to Leo. Look at you, you can't even heal."  
  
Piper's words felt like another slap to the face. "Think what you like, Piper. But for your information, I didn't choose to end up here. And do us all a favour and put your self-centred, self-righteous, know-it-all act to rest. The world doesn't revolve around Piper Halliwell, in case you haven't noticed."  
  
"Get out," Piper ordered, her anger rising to dangerous levels.  
  
"Yeah, that's right. That's your only way of dealing with the truth. Hide from it, and pretend it doesn't exist. You're lucky Wyatt is not old enough to see how pathetic you are right now."  
  
"Shut up," Piper yelled as she unleashed her magic on Chris, sending him flying across the room and slamming against the wall.  
  
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Chris sneered as he got to his feet.  
  
"I said shut up!" Consumed by fury, Piper took out her anger on the young Whitelighter, hurling him around the room like a helpless rag doll.  
  
The commotion alerted Paige and Phoebe as they came rushing upstairs. The door opened and the sight that greeted the two younger witches horrified them. "Oh my god, what's going on here?" Phoebe yelled.  
  
Paige felt her knees weaken at the sight of a battered, bruised, and bloody Chris, lying unconscious on the floor. Looking up at Piper with questioning eyes, she tried to speak only to find herself overcome with emotion. "What's wrong with you, Piper?" she finally managed to ask.  
  
Phoebe rushed over to calm the visibly shaken Piper. As the realization of her actions dawned on Piper, she became increasingly distraught. For fear of a complete mental collapse, Phoebe ushered Piper from the room and left Paige and Chris alone. After helping Piper settle down somewhat, she came back to help move Chris to Paige's room. There, the youngest witch painstakingly tended to the Whitelighter's injuries. Paige sat by her bed watching Chris. "He looks so vulnerable," she thought to himself. His wounds had been cleaned but the battle scars were very apparent. What she didn't understand was why Piper reacted the way she did and how she managed to injure Chris so seriously.  
  
Paige had completely lost track of time when Phoebe quietly entered the room. She sat down beside Paige and squeezed her hand for comfort. "Has he stirred at all?"  
  
"Nope. He hasn't regained consciousness yet. Do you think he'll be okay?" Paige asked with uncertainty.  
  
"I hope so," Phoebe answered. "This whole thing is just so weird."  
  
"I know what you mean. What happened to Piper? That wasn't even the Piper that I knew who was standing in the room."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Paige awoke to find herself in an awkward position, slumped forward on her bed. Her muscles ached from the strange sleeping position and she tried to remember why she was sleeping this way. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she looked right into a pair of mesmerizing eyes.  
  
"Morning," Chris greeted weakly, his voice coarse.  
  
Paige quickly shot up from her position and repositioned herself on her bedside chair, embarrassed at the awkward situation. "Morning," she answered hesitantly. "Uh, how long have you been awake?"  
  
"Quite a while now."  
  
"Why didn't you wake me?"  
  
"You were sleeping so I didn't want to disturb you," he answered somewhat shyly. "Uh, I'm sorry for taking over your bed."  
  
"That's okay," she answered. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Lousy, but I'll survive."  
  
The door opened and Phoebe walked in. "You feeling better, Chris?"  
  
"I'll live," he answered with a weak smile. "How's Piper doing?"  
  
"I think she has calmed down a bit now," Phoebe replied. "I really don't know what came over her last night."  
  
Chris looked down at his hands, remaining silent. "I guess I pushed her too far last night."  
  
"What do you mean?" Paige asked. "What happened last night?"  
  
Chris sighed as he thought back to the events of last night. "After dinner I decided to talk to Piper. I mean, I figured that I had to knock some sense into her before she put herself or any of you in danger." Paige and Phoebe nodded, and encouraged Chris to continue. "I figured that given her attitude towards me that I would need to be blunt and direct. I guess I said some things that really ticked her off."  
  
"Still, I can't think of anything that you could say that would make her react like that," Phoebe reasoned.  
  
"Under normal circumstances, that would be true," Chris explained. "But when you're possessed, then the rules of the game changes entirely."  
  
"Possessed?" Paige exclaimed. "Piper is possessed??"  
  
"Was possessed," Chris corrected.  
  
"By what?"  
  
"One of the most powerful demons in the realm of evil."  
  
"How long have you known about this?" Phoebe questioned incredulously.  
  
"A while, I guess."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us? We could have come up with a spell from the Book of Shadows!"  
  
Chris shook his head and smiled. "The Book of Shadows wouldn't have helped. And unfortunately, I don't think either of you could have defeated the demon."  
  
Looking slightly indignant, the two witches wondered what kind of demon would possess such great powers. "Okay, so this demon is not described in the Book of Shadows and our powers are useless against it. So what made you think you could defeat it?"  
  
"Simple," Chris answered. "Piper hates me. The same can't be said for you two."  
  
Phoebe and Paige looked at each other, not quite knowing what to say. Finally, Paige decided to ask the question that was begging to be answered. "So what exactly was this demon?"  
  
"Anger."  
  
"Anger??" the two witches asked in unison.  
  
"Yes, Piper was angry that Leo was taken from her. Angry that her family was broken up. The anger was so great that it was beginning to take control of her."  
  
"Okay, I see what you're saying, sort of," Phoebe replied. "But how exactly did you fit into this whole thing?"  
  
"Well, in order to defeat the demon of anger, you have to diffuse it," Chris explained. "Under normal circumstances, this would not be a difficult thing. But in Piper's case, the only method of diffusing the anger was to let her act out her anger. She was approaching the stage where she would take out her anger on innocent people."  
  
"And so you stepped in to take her anger before she had a chance to take it out on other people," Paige continued.  
  
"Well, sort of," the young Whitelighter answered. "In her mind, I am the reason and cause of her misery. Therefore, the only way to defeat her demon of anger was to basically absorb her anger. Let her act out her anger on me, you could say."  
  
"Which is why you didn't defend yourself or fight back."  
  
"That's right. If I had fought back, it would have made things worse."  
  
"At the risk of sounding like an ungrateful witch," Phoebe began, "you realize that you were playing with fire with that stunt of yours, right?"  
  
Chris managed to smirk somewhat. "I have a knack for doing things like that, don't I?"  
  
"Just wait until you get well, Christopher. I'll give you a piece of my mind then," Phoebe mock chastised. "Until then, I better head off to work. You rest up, Chris."  
  
After Phoebe left, Paige remained in the room. "You know, if you have stuff to do, you don't have to worry about me. I think I'll manage to stay out of trouble," Chris offered.  
  
Instead of answering Chris, Paige looked into the Whitelighter's eyes and smiled shyly. "Thanks, Chris for what you did. You putting yourself on the line for us is getting to be quite a habit."  
  
Chris blushed at the comment, although he recovered quickly. "Hey, that's what I'm here for. It's my job, remember?"  
  
"Well, thank you all the same," Paige replied with a smile. Before Chris could say anything, Paige leaned in and kissed Chris on the lips, sending the young Whiteligher into complete shock.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 13  
  
Chris froze in utter shock as Paige kissed him. It wasn't a quick kiss and Chris could feel Paige's lips on his. Eventually giving in, Chris kissed her back. It was tentative at first, but soon the kiss grew in passion and intensity. Almost as quickly as the passion consumed Chris, however, his logical mindset returned, causing him to pull away.  
  
Chris' actions seemed to affect Paige as well, who now sat on the bed, looking at the young Whitelighter with a look of confusion.  
  
"Oh my god," Chris muttered. "That was so not right. I'm so sorry, Paige. I don't know what came over me." Chris was now becoming increasingly upset. He was angry at himself for losing control, for putting everything at risk because of one moment of carelessness.  
  
Paige grabbed hold of his hands to calm him down. "Chris, calm down."  
  
"I've messed up so bad this time," he kept saying. "I can't believe this."  
  
"Chris!" Paige called out, louder this time. Finally, she managed to get Chris' attention. "You don't have to apologize. I made the first move, remember?"  
  
"That's besides the point," Chris replied. "You're a witch, I'm a Whitelighter. You're my charge, for god's sakes!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"What do you mean so?" Chris asked, bewildered at Paige's calm reaction. "It's against the rules. You and I both know that."  
  
"I don't care about the rules, Chris. I'm sick and tired of the Elders trying to run the whole show."  
  
"I feel like I was taking advantage of you."  
  
"Well, you weren't, okay?"  
  
"But."  
  
Chris's answer was promptly cut off by Paige. "Listen, Chris. I don't say this often. But I really like you, Chris. I like you a lot."  
  
Again, Chris was stunned into silence. "You really don't mean that, Paige," he reasoned.  
  
"I think I would know how I feel. And I know it's against the rules and all. But I'm not one bit sorry that I feel this way about you."  
  
Chris ran his hand through his hair as he tried to process everything that was happening. He felt confused, and he hated this feeling. He was usually the one in control, but now he felt the complete opposite. "I'm flattered, Paige. But this just won't work. I mean, I'm your Whitelighter. I'm here to ensure your safety. I can't just carry on a relationship and still do my job properly." His heart ached as he saw the look of hurt and disappointment on Paige's face. "I'm sorry, Paige." With that, he orbed out of the room and back to his apartment.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Splashing cold water on his face, Chris looked at himself in the mirror. Luckily most of the injuries that he sustained were on his body and not his face. It would've been quite difficult to explain to his employer what he was all banged up. Checking the time and realizing that he still had some time before having to report for work, he made a quick cup of coffee for himself, all the time still thinking about the events that transpired earlier.  
  
"I like you too, Paige," he whispered to himself. "I like you a lot, actually. I just wish that it could've worked out. I mean, who knows how long I'll be around for? I don't want to hurt you and leave you hanging."  
  
"Shouldn't I get a say in that?" a voice called out, causing Chris to jump and spill his coffee all over the counter. Turning around, he saw Paige standing there, a look of concern on her face.  
  
"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."  
  
"And you shouldn't hide the truth from people who care about you."  
  
"Look, Paige. I admit it. I have feelings for you. I like you a lot, actually. But I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"How is liking me going to hurt me?"  
  
"You won't understand. Just take my word for it."  
  
"And if I told you that I didn't care?"  
  
"Paige. You don't understand what you're getting yourself into."  
  
"Maybe not," she conceded. "But I don't care. I'm tired of being alone," she continued as she walked towards Chris.  
  
"But you're not alone, Paige," Chris argued. "You have your sisters and your friends. You have tons of guys who would love to be your boyfriend."  
  
"Family and friends are not the same. And I don't want those guys to be my boyfriend. I want you, Chris Perry. The question is whether you want me to be your girlfriend or not."  
  
"You know I do," he whispered as he looked at her with love and concern. "I've had these feelings for you since the first time I met you."  
  
"Then that's all that matters," she answered with a smile as she leaned in kiss the young Whitelighter. This time, however, Chris was no longer hesitant and he kissed her back.  
  
"I'm sorry if I hurt you earlier," Chris whispered in her ear.  
  
"That's okay," Paige answered, "you just have to buy me flowers everyday for the next year."  
  
Chris laughed at the suggestion. "You're impossible, Paige Matthews, you know that?"  
  
"That's what makes me so lovable, Christopher."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I'm so sorry for being late, Melanie," Chris explained as he rushed into Melanie's office. Luckily for Chris, he was able to orb himself to work. Otherwise, he would still be stuck in traffic.  
  
"Oh no worries, Chris," his boss replied surprisingly cheerfully. "The crew is still setting up anyways. Did you have any questions regarding the project?"  
  
Flashing his charming smile, Chris replied, "Nope. Everything looks pretty straight forward to me."  
  
"Excellent," Melanie answered. "Well, I think we're ready to get started."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris emerged from the office with a smile on his face. "Well, that went pretty well," he thought to himself. Glancing at his watch, he realized that he had some time to spare before he had to go back to the Halliwell manor. Taking advantage of this free time, he made his way to a large park at the outskirts of the city.  
  
He loved this park because it reminded so much of the happy times - before his world collapsed amidst the turmoil and chaos caused by the demon rulers. His reveries were interrupted by the appearance of four horrific looking creatures. They stared menacingly at Chris as they advanced on him.  
  
"Christopher Perry," one of them said. "This must be our lucky day."  
  
"Your demise will certainly make our day," another demon said.  
  
Chris laughed at the demons' comments. "And what makes you think that you four will be able to handle me?"  
  
"Your arrogance will be your downfall, Christopher. We are more than capable of destroying a young punk like you."  
  
Another demon spoke up with a knowing smile. "We've done our research on you, Christopher. We know what your powers are and we know how to neutralize them. You're finished!!"  
  
Chris unleashed an energy ball towards one of the demons who quickly neutralized it with a fireball.  
  
"You see, Whitelighter? We've got you totally figured out. Now prepare to die."  
  
Chris eyed his enemies carefully, trying to determine their next move. "Well, looks like you four really did your homework, didn't you?"  
  
"Too bad you found out too late," the demon sneered.  
  
Chris laughed again. "Well, it's too bad that you didn't do your research properly. Otherwise, you would have found out that I could do this!" With that, Chris unleashed two massive black poison-tipped arrows. The arrows found their mark and two of the demons cried out in agony before exploding to pieces.  
  
The two remaining demons stared in shock. "Impossible!" one of them yelled. "You're a Whitelighter, a source of good. How can you possibly summon the power of Hades, the source of all evil??"  
  
"Looks can be deceiving," Chris answered in a low voice.  
  
One of the demons laughed. "Just wait until the Charmed Ones find out this secret about their young Whitelighter."  
  
Chris smirked. "Too bad you won't get a chance to tell anyone about this little bit of knowledge," he quipped before firing two more poison arrows at his enemies. He smiled with satisfaction as the remaining demons are destroyed, eliminating any witnesses to this incident.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 14  
  
Chris orbed into the Halliwell manor to find it quiet and empty. Phoebe was still at work and Paige was out doing errands. Deciding to check on the Charmed Ones later, Chris was about to leave when he heard Wyatt crying. The young Whitelighter went into Wyatt's room and took the baby in his arms, gently rocking him. Amazingly, Wyatt stopped crying and began to giggle, causing a big smile to form on Chris' face.  
  
"Looks like he really likes you."  
  
Chris looked up to see Piper standing in the doorway.  
  
"Uh, I heard him crying, so I just thought." he stammered, not quite knowing what to say.  
  
"I wasn't asking for an explanation," Piper answered, leaving Chris with a puzzled look. He gently put Wyatt back in his bed, looking very uncomfortable in Piper's presence.  
  
"Let's go downstairs," Piper suggested. "We need to talk."  
  
Chris silently followed Piper down to the kitchen. Chris sat down at the kitchen table as Piper began to prepare dinner.  
  
"I know about what you did," Piper began, causing Chris to look up in alarm. His face blanched as he waited for Piper to continue. "Are you feeling alright? You look like you've seen a ghost," she remarked.  
  
"Uh, I'm fine," Chris answered quickly.  
  
Not looking entirely convinced, Piper continued. "I think it was very noble of you to put yourself in harm's way last night on my account."  
  
Chris breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Piper's comment. "Just doing my job," he answered softly.  
  
"I was way out of line. I don't know what happened to me, but that's not really an excuse."  
  
"That's okay. You were angry, that's all."  
  
Piper smiled and stared at Chris with an amused expression. "You make it sound like getting beaten up by a crazed woman is an everyday occurrence for you."  
  
Chris laughed at that comment. "No, I must say that it was a first-time experience for me. But I understand why it happened."  
  
"Well, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry," Piper continued. "And thank you for doing what you did."  
  
"No problem. I'm sorry for some of the things that I said," Chris replied. "I didn't mean them, but I really needed to get a reaction out of you."  
  
Piper smiled and nodded. "I'm also sorry for the way I've been treating you. I haven't been very fair to you."  
  
"That's alright. I know that you didn't ask for me to be here."  
  
"Oh Chris. I don't mean it that way," Piper replied with a pained expression. "It's just been very hard for me, and it's difficult for me to explain."  
  
"You don't have to explain. I understand," the young Whitelighter answered. "And I know that you still don't trust me 100%. But don't worry about it. I'll earn your trust."  
  
"You know, you sound quite mature for a twenty year-old."  
  
Chris smiled sadly. "In my world, you were forced to grow up pretty quickly if you wanted to survive. But do me one favour?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Try not to bite my head off next time you see me?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"I'll try," Piper answered with a smile. "But no guarantees."  
  
"I'm home!" a voice called out in the hallway.  
  
"In the kitchen!" Piper answered as she continued making her soup.  
  
"Hmmm!" Phoebe exclaimed as she waltzed into the kitchen. "That smells awfully good!"  
  
"It's a new recipe that I managed to pick up the other day," Piper answered with a smile.  
  
Phoebe smiled at the answer. "Looks like someone is in a better mood today," she remarked as she got herself a cup of tea. "Oh, Chris! I almost didn't see you there."  
  
"Thanks, Phoebe. You sure know how to make a guy feel good about himself," Chris answered good-naturedly.  
  
"Where's Paige?"  
  
"I don't know," Piper replied. "She said she had some errands to run this morning."  
  
"How many errands did she have? It's almost six already!" Phoebe complained.  
  
The door slammed shut as Paige trudged into the kitchen, looking awfully annoyed.  
  
"Well, hello, dear," Piper greeted her sister. "You look, uh, frazzled."  
  
"The nerve of that man!" Paige fumed.  
  
"What happened?" Chris asked, trying not to laugh at Paige's facial expression.  
  
"It's not funny, Christopher," she chastised. "I was carrying all of these bags, running after the bus. Just as I get to the door, the driver pulls out of the bus stop. And he saw me coming!"  
  
Chris was now laughing hard, earning him a playful swat to his head. "Hey, violence is not the answer to your problems." The comment resulted in another playful punch to his arm. "Okay, Paige. Beating up your Whitelighter is definitely not cool."  
  
"Having fun at the expense of your charge's misfortunes is also not cool, Christopher Perry."  
  
"Okay, okay. I'll stop laughing," he conceded. "But you have to admit, the sight of Paige Halliwell running through the streets of San Francisco chasing after a bus is quite hilarious."  
  
At this time, Piper stepped in to keep the peace. "Okay, before you two start killing each other, let's eat."  
  
Dinner was a light-hearted affair and for once, there was little tension to be felt. Paige and Phoebe smiled at each other as Chris and Piper conversed in a civilized, even friendly, manner. After dinner, Chris insisted on doing the dishes. Even more surprising for Piper was Paige's insistence on doing the dishes with Chris. Phoebe, on the other hand, just wore a knowing smile.  
  
"So how was work today?" Paige asked as she carefully dried off the dishes.  
  
"It was good, actually," Chris replied. "Much better than I expected."  
  
"So what exactly do you do anyway?"  
  
"Oh, a bit of this and a bit of that."  
  
"Gee thanks," Paige smirked, "what a helpful answer."  
  
"I'm the cryptic one, remember?" the young Whitelighter suggested before Paige began to splash water at him. "Hey, you're ruining my hair!"  
  
"Oh please. Can you be any more vain?"  
  
"Me? Vain?" Chris asked in surprise. "I'm so hurt!"  
  
Paige simply laughed at Chris' dramatic response. "Seriously, do you think we should tell Piper and Phoebe?"  
  
"I don't know," Chris answered quietly. "I'm not quite sure how they'd react."  
  
"True. I think Phoebe would be okay with it. Piper, I don't know."  
  
"Yeah. I mean, I think she's now starting to accept me a bit. Telling her that I'm dating her sister might not really go down too well with her."  
  
"I guess we'll just have to keep a low profile for now."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris orbed into his apartment, tired but content. Things were finally starting to come together. Even Piper was starting to trust him. He was about to turn on the television when he noticed an envelope lying on the table. Curious, he opened it and took out the sheet of paper inside.  
  
He clenched his fists as he read the simple words that were written on the paper: "Whitelighters and dark magic don't mix. I know."  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 15  
  
Chris crumpled the paper and threw it across the room. "How could this be?" he thought to himself. "I could've sworn there was no one else at the park." Groaning in frustration, he decided that he would deal with this after a good night's sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What do you mean you can't make it?" Piper yelled into the phone. Phoebe and Paige eyed each other as they watched their older sister fuming. "You promised to be there for the party and now you're bailing on me?" The two younger witches flinched as Piper slammed the phone.  
  
"Who was that?" Phoebe inquired. "The band that is supposed to play at tonight's party at P3?"  
  
Piper grimaced at the thought. "Was supposed to play. They're not coming anymore."  
  
"Why?" Paige joined in.  
  
"Unforeseen circumstances, supposedly."  
  
"So now what? Didn't the client specifically requested a band?"  
  
"That's the problem!" Piper lamented. "The party is for his daughter's eighteenth birthday. Where am I going to find a band on such short notice?"  
  
"Well, just tell the client that the band bailed," Paige suggested.  
  
"Oh that would go well with the client," Piper replied. "You don't understand how difficult this man is. And his wife, she's ten times worse!"  
  
As the three of them discussed Piper's predicament, Chris orbed in, wearing his usual smirk. "Morning everyone," he greeted. "Piper, you look - agitated."  
  
"Don't mind her," Phoebe advised. "Minor glitches at P3."  
  
"Minor?" Piper protested. "This is a major catastrophe we're talking about here."  
  
"Okay," Chris answered. "What exactly is the problem?"  
  
"Well, P3 is hosting an important party for a client tonight. And the band that was supposed to play at the concert just bailed on her," Paige explained.  
  
The young Whitelighter nodded in understanding but shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, but I can't really help you with that one."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Phoebe sat at the kitchen table trying to finish her latest column. She wrote furiously and was making good progress, wanting to finish the column before the party at P3. Piper was still up in arms over the band's last minute cancellation. Phoebe and Paige both decided to join Piper that night to give her as much support and assistance as possible.  
  
She smiled triumphantly as she completed the final touches on the column. At the same time, Chris orbed into the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge.  
  
"And hello to you too," Phoebe greeted as she watched the young Whitelighter nearly finish a bottle of water in seconds.  
  
"Sorry," Chris apologized sheepishly. "Thirsty," he explained as he sat down at the table.  
  
"Okay," Phoebe answered with some confusion. "And what have you been up to? You look exhausted."  
  
"I am," Chris answered. "But I'll be fine. What have you been up to?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Just finishing the column. I wanted to get it out of the way before tonight's party at P3."  
  
Chris nodded in understanding. "Is Piper still having a nervous breakdown?"  
  
Phoebe laughed at the comment. "I wouldn't go that far. But let's just say that you wouldn't want to get in her way right now."  
  
"Okay," Chris laughed. "I'll make sure I steer clear from her."  
  
"So, how long has this been going on?"  
  
The young Whitelighter stared at Phoebe with a confused look. "Excuse me?"  
  
"You know, the big secret that's not really very secretive."  
  
"What exactly are you trying to say, Phoebe?" he asked as he took another gulp of water/  
  
"You and Paige."  
  
Chris nearly choked on the water upon hearing the question. "What about us?" he croaked.  
  
Phoebe walked over and swatted Chris playfully on the head. "Don't play innocent with me. Piper may be oblivious to it but I certainly have kept my eyes on you two. And if it makes you feel any better, I think you two look rather adorable together."  
  
Hearing the comment, Chris could not help but blush somewhat. "Paige is a great, isn't she?"  
  
"Well, I must say that you're not too bad yourself."  
  
"Thanks," Chris answered gratefully. "Do you think Piper is going to take this badly?"  
  
"No, I doubt it. She'll be surprised, that's for sure. But I don't think she'll object."  
  
"I hope so. Well, I've got to get going. I have a few more errands to run. Go luck with tonight."  
  
"Thanks, Chris. I think we'll need it."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Maybe we can stay home instead?" Piper pleaded.  
  
"Piper! You can't just not show up! That's not very professional," Phoebe chastised.  
  
"You know this is going to be a complete disaster."  
  
"Why don't you just tell the truth?" Paige suggested. "Maybe Mr. Johnson will be understanding."  
  
"Him? Understanding? Not unless the earth turns out to be flat instead of round."  
  
"Come on," Phoebe urged. "Let's get going. You don't want to be late or you'll really piss off Mr. Johnson."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The three witches stood outside P3's front door as they prepared to enter the lion's den. Piper gave her sisters a pleading look but it did little to change their minds. Taking a deep breath, the three of them entered the club, praying for the best but expecting the worst. As they entered the club, they were overwhelmed by the sheer noise in the room, not expecting this many people to attend Mr. Johnson's party. Taking a few more steps, they looked around for Mr. Johnson, hoping to get the explanations with over quickly. Instead they looked towards the main area and froze. Their mouths dropped open and Piper nearly fainted.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 16  
  
The three witches stared in shock as they watched Chris, their Whitelighter, dancing and singing on stage. Even more shocking was the fact that the party guests were going crazy for him. Like some boyband singer, he was taking to the stage like it was his everyday job to dance and sing in front of crazed teenagers.  
  
"I think I'm going to faint," Piper said. "I can't believe our Whitelighter is singing on stage in my club!"  
  
"Well, I must say that this was rather - unexpected," Phoebe added, her eyes still fixed on stage.  
  
Apparently, Chris didn't notice the Charmed Ones' entry because he just continued onto another song without missing a beat. The party guests were all over the dance floor having the time of their lives. Piper took another gulp of water as she saw Mr. Johnson approach her.  
  
"Oh Mr. Johnson," she began nervously. "I can explain this."  
  
"There's nothing to explain," he cut her off. "I have to say, Piper, that you've outdone yourself this time. What a fabulous party you have organized!" Piper smiled nervously as Mr. Johnson continued to speak. "I haven't seen my daughter this happy in quite a while. And now, she thinks I'm the best dad in the world for organizing this. This is absolutely wonderful!"  
  
"I'm glad that you find this party to your satisfaction," Piper answered.  
  
Mrs. Johnson decided to join in on the conversation. "Oh Piper, this is beyond our expectations. You totally surprised us with this arrangement. I mean, look at those kids. They are just going absolutely crazy for that young man on stage there. Who is he, anyway? I've never heard of him before."  
  
"Oh, he's a friend of ours," Piper explained, not really knowing what to say.  
  
"Well, he certainly is awfully talented," Mrs. Johnson continued. "And he's very good on the eyes too, if you know what I mean," she said with a giggle.  
  
"I'll make sure that I pass on your message, Mrs. Johnson," Piper remarked. After what seemed like an eternity, the Johnsons finally left the three witches alone.  
  
Paige's eyes darted back to the stage for the umpteenth time when Phoebe walked up beside her. "Like what you see?" she teased.  
  
"What are you talking about now?" Paige asked with mock annoyance.  
  
"How does it feel to see you boyfriend on stage with teenage girls going crazy for him?" Phoebe continued.  
  
"Who said anything about him being my boyfriend?"  
  
"Oh, no one," Phoebe quipped. "But only a blind or totally oblivious person would miss the fact that you have the hots for him."  
  
When Paige remained silent, Phoebe knew she had her answer.  
  
"Well, he is really cute, isn't he?" Paige asked to no one in particular.  
  
The conversation between the two sisters was interrupted when silence suddenly filled the room. "Thanks everyone for coming out tonight," Chris said, obviously exhausted from his performance. Paige noticed that he was sweating and his T-shirt was soaked, hugging his body tightly. Paige found that all this made him look incredibly sexy. "Are you all having a good time?" he asked.  
  
The guests roared their approval in response.  
  
"That's awesome," the young Whitelighter continued. "So now, to the person responsible for putting together this great party, let's give a huge hand to P3's wonderful owner, Piper Halliwell!"  
  
Again, the crowd cheered loudly, causing Piper to smile at the reaction.  
  
"And now, there's a song that I really want to sing," Chris began again. "I want to dedicate this song to a very, very special person," he said as his eyes connected with Paige. The music began and an upbeat dance song could be heard. Wearing his headpiece, Chris began to sing:  
  
"I've been watching you from afar, at the way you make yourself around the bar. You laugh like you're really entertained, and you smile like it's your favourite game. Now you're moving closer to me and our eyes are connected emotionally. I'm not looking for a one night stand, or a place for a broken heart to mend. I know everybody here wants to hold ya, I know what it's like 'cause I feel the same. When you look in my eyes there's a part of me that's still afraid.  
  
And when you say you love me, do you mean it? Baby, when you hold me, do you feel it? Should I believe in magic in your eyes? I would wait until the end of time to hear you say you love me like you mean it. Baby, when you hold me make me feel it. All I wanna do is make you mine, I've been hurt way too many times."  
  
As the music continued to play, Chris got off the stage and walked towards Paige. Blushing madly, Paige could not help but sport a huge smile as her Whitelighter moved towards her. Her heart melted as she looked into his eyes. Taking her hands, he gently led her to the dance floor where they began to dance to the rhythm of the music.  
  
"Again and again and again, I would hurt, my friend, till the end. You know I've been high I've been low, I got no place else left to go. Again and again and again, when will this search ever end?  
  
And when you say you love me, do you mean it? Baby, when you hold me, do you feel it? Should I believe in magic in your eyes? I would wait until the end of time to hear you say you love me like you mean it. Baby, when you hold me make me feel it. All I wanna do is make you mine, I've been hurt way too many times."  
  
Paige found herself wishing that this moment would never end. Her Prince Charming singing to her, dancing with her, their bodies so close together.it was a dream come true.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Thanks, Ben," Piper called out to her bartender as he cleaned up the counter. "You better get some rest. You must be exhausted."  
  
"Oh, that's okay, Piper. I'm doing okay," he replied cheerfully.  
  
"Wow, you must have lots of energy to be this energetic after such a long day. Weren't you here since this morning setting up the club?"  
  
The young man grinned shyly. "Yeah, but it really wasn't too bad. Plus Chris was here to help me get everything set up."  
  
"Chris was here this morning?" Phoebe asked, surprised at the revelation.  
  
"That's right. Actually he did most of the heavy work. I only helped out. He's a really cool guy."  
  
Remembering the scene from the kitchen earlier when Chris was gulping water like there was no tomorrow, Phoebe could not help but smile. "Yeah, he can be a little strange at times, but most of the time he's cool."  
  
"Well, I better get going now. I'll see you tomorrow, Piper."  
  
"Goodnight, Ben."  
  
"Well, that was an interesting night, wasn't it?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"I suppose it could've been a disaster," Piper admitted.  
  
"But thanks to Chris, it turned out rather well, didn't it?"  
  
"I guess he does deserve a lot of credit," Piper answered.  
  
"Talking about me behind my back again?" Chris interrupted. "Everything's cleaned up, by the way."  
  
"Thanks, Chris, you were really good tonight," Phoebe complimented.  
  
The young Whitelighter laughed at the comment. "Thanks. I tried getting a decent band, but I couldn't find any. Sorry." he said sheepishly.  
  
"No, no," Phoebe answered, "you were great! Awesome, actually. Isn't that right, Paige?"  
  
Paige just smiled at Chris, still looking dazed.  
  
"Well, I must admit you saved the day," Piper said in an even voice. "But how long were you planning to keep me in the dark about your real intentions towards Paige?"  
  
~ to be continued ~  
  
* Lyrics from "When You Say You Love Me" sung by Clay Aiken. 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 17  
  
"Uh," Chris mumbled as he struggled for an answer. "We, uh, I. Oh what the hell," he finally gave up, "I was thinking of how to tell you."  
  
Piper did not look amused at all. "And how long."  
  
"I know it was a stupid thing to do to go about this behind your back," Chris continued, cutting Piper off.  
  
"You know, the one."  
  
"I know. The one thing you hate is having people do things behind you back," he answered, again cutting her off.  
  
"And I just."  
  
"And you just can't understand why I couldn't be up front with you about it."  
  
"You're always."  
  
The young Whitelighter interrupted again. "I know. I'm always so secretive about everything. And you can't stand it because I'm never straight with you."  
  
Phoebe and Paige were struggling not to laugh, and Piper just found the whole situation ridiculous. "Are you quite ready to let me talk now, Christopher?"  
  
Realizing what he had been doing, and feeling utterly embarrassed by his behaviour, he could do little but to nod. "Go ahead," he answered sheepishly.  
  
"Yes, you're right. I don't understand why you couldn't tell me up front. And going behind my back was just - wrong." Chris looked at the floor like a child who was being chastised by his parents. "I absolutely hate it when people do that, do you understand?" Piper demanded.  
  
A moment of silence followed as Chris tried to decide how to respond. His thoughts were interrupted by Piper's laughter. "I finally got you, Christopher! As you always like to say, relax! You're taking things so seriously!"  
  
Chris could not help but laugh at the situation. "Okay, so you got me," he conceded. "I can admit it when I've been beaten at my own game."  
  
"The expression on your face was priceless," Piper beamed triumphantly.  
  
Paige walked up and playfully smacked Piper's arms. "Are you bullying my boyfriend?"  
  
"Well, someone's becoming rather protective," Phoebe teased. "I thought it was his job to do the protecting?"  
  
The bantering went on for a while before everyone decided to head home for the night. Once back at the manor, Piper went to check on Wyatt while Phoebe headed off to bed.  
  
"Want some tea?" Paige offered as she poured herself a mug.  
  
"That's okay, I'm fine," Chris answered. As Paige joined him in parlour, he noticed that Chris was unusually quiet.  
  
"Is everything okay?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.  
  
"I think we need to talk," Chris finally answered after a moment of thought. "About us, I mean."  
  
"Okay," she answered tentatively. "I'm listening."  
  
"About tonight," he began, "when I was singing to you."  
  
Paige felt her heartbeat quicken as she had a bad feeling about what Chris was about to say.  
  
"I," he paused again. "I really meant what the lyrics were saying. I know this sounds really stupid, but I really need to know how you feel about this. I don't want put myself in a position where I would be hurt again. It's selfish and it's dumb, but that's how I feel."  
  
Paige relaxed somewhat at those words but noticed that Chris was nervously fidgeting with his hands. She reached over and took his hand in hers. "When I told you that I really liked you, I really meant it. And after tonight, I know that I'm falling in love with you. It sounds really cheesy but I really think that I'm in love."  
  
"There's also something else I need to tell you."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'll be honest with you. I still have feelings for Annette. I know that I shouldn't, but I do. I don't love her anymore, but she still holds a special place in my heart. Having said that, I want you to know that I'm not using you as a substitute for her. I really want you for who you are, not because of who you remind me of."  
  
Hearing those words made Paige want to cry. She pulled Chris close and hugged him tightly. "You may be a smart-ass sometimes, but I think you're also the sweetest guy I've ever met. Thank you for being honest with me."  
  
"I'm not very good with knowing what to say or what to do when it comes to situations like this," he continued, somewhat embarrassed at this admission.  
  
"Well, that makes two of us then," Paige replied in response. "I guess we'll just have to learn together, won't we?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Good morning!" Paige greeted her sisters cheerfully as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "And how are you all doing this morning?"  
  
Piper looked at Paige like she was from another planet. "Well, someone is rather cheerful this morning," she observed with a smile.  
  
"Could this wonderful mood be attributed to a five letter word?" Phoebe teased. "Starting with 'C' and ending with 'S'?"  
  
"And the answer to that question, Phoebe, is yes," Paige responded promptly before grabbing a bagel and sitting down at the kitchen table.  
  
"Oh my," Phoebe continued with a smirk, "Princess Paige has finally found Prince Charming. How touching!"  
  
Paige shook her head at her sister's amusing behaviour and thought back to the events of last night. The memories were still so vivid. Chris singing, Chris gazing at her, Chris holding her, Chris hugging her. In fact, the only thing that occupied her mind was her Prince Charming, her guardian angel.  
  
"Yoohoo! Anyone home?" Phoebe's voice broke Paige from her thoughts, causing her to nearly spill her coffee. "I can't believe you're THAT obsessed with him."  
  
"I am not obsessed."  
  
"If you say so," Phoebe answered, totally unconvinced. "Well, I'm off to work. Any plans today, Piper?"  
  
"Grocery shopping," she replied. "And then interview for a new bouncer. Tommy quit."  
  
"Another one? That's the third one this month."  
  
"Hey Piper, I'll go with you to the supermarket. I want to pick up some things too," Paige cut in.  
  
"Sounds good. I can use an extra hand with the groceries. Let's get going before it gets too crowded."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So which pasta sauce is better?" Paige asked as she studied the shelf.  
  
"The garden vegetable with mushroom is quite good," Piper answered as she loaded some canned fruit into the shopping cart.  
  
"Good. How hard is it to make decent pasta?"  
  
"Not too hard. Why?"  
  
"I think I want to give it a try," Paige announced.  
  
"You? Cook?" Piper asked, genuinely surprised. "Oh wait, I forgot. For Chris, right?"  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Well, when you've been talking about him non-stop for the past hour, it wasn't too difficult to guess."  
  
Paige blushed at Piper's answer. "Well, he is really cute, don't you think? And sweet too. And those eyes."  
  
"I'm not even going to respond to that. Where is he this morning anyways?"  
  
"Working."  
  
"So what exactly is it that he does at work?"  
  
"Good question. I don't really know," Paige replied as they waited for the cashier.  
  
Suddenly Piper burst out laughing. "Oh my god!!"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 18  
  
"Our Whitelighter is now a fashion model," Piper laughed as she flipped through the magazine.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Paige asked as she grabbed the magazine from her sister. Sure enough, there was page after page of photos showing Chris wearing various outfits showcasing the latest fashion trends.  
  
"Hmm, a prettyboy model Whitelighter," Piper mused. "Now that's what I call unconventional."  
  
Paige didn't bother answering as she continued to look through the magazine. "He looks really cute in this outfit, doesn't he?" she asked with a dreamy look on her face, causing Piper to shake her head and roll her eyes.  
  
"I give up," she muttered as she proceeded to pay for the groceries.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So how does it feel to grace the pages of the country's most influential fashion magazines?" Phoebe asked for the tenth time as she sat across from Chris at the kitchen table.  
  
Chris shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "Now you see why I was determined not to let you three know about this?"  
  
"Oh come on, Chris," Phoebe continued. "I think it's rather cute to have a fashion model in the house all the time."  
  
"Hey," Paige cut in, "quit harassing my boyfriend. Be nice."  
  
"There's the overprotective Paige again," Phoebe bemoaned with a smirk. "I think I liked the old Paige better."  
  
"And just for the record, I think you look absolutely gorgeous in this outfit," Paige added, pointing her finger at the magazine photo.  
  
"What can I do to get you girls to stop bugging me about this modeling thing?" Chris asked, desperate to put a stop to the Charmed Ones' curiosity.  
  
"Well, you can start by making us dinner," Phoebe suggested.  
  
"Deal," Chris answered quickly as he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Piper and Phoebe in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Okay, the vegetables are ready," Paige announced as she admired her work. "What do I do next?"  
  
"Guess we can start working on the sauce," Chris answered with a smile.  
  
"Perfect," she answered enthusiastically as she turned on the stove. "So how do you like this modeling business?"  
  
Chris chuckled as he concentrated on the French pastries that he was making. "It's not too bad, I guess. It pays the bills."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose. I just can't believe that you have a full-time job and I'm still moving from temp job to temp job," she laughed.  
  
"There's a good and bad side to temp jobs, you know. At least you get to try out different things all the time."  
  
"You do have a point, I suppose."  
  
"There!" Chris exclaimed as he put the finishing touches on his pastries.  
  
"Oh my god. They look awesome. Where did you learn to make all these things?"  
  
"Just one of my many talents," Chris laughed.  
  
"I suppose modesty isn't one of those talents," Paige joked as she looked into Chris' gaze, once again mesmerized by the beautiful man standing in front of her.  
  
"Then I guess you'll just have to teach me," Chris answered with a heart- melting smile on his face.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So what's this potion supposed to do again?" Piper asked as Phoebe looked through the Book of Shadows.  
  
"It's supposed to melt whatever it comes into contact with."  
  
"So we throw this at a demon and it'll just melt away?" Paige asked as she handed Phoebe another ingredient.  
  
"That's the idea," she quipped as she added the final touches. "Now let's see how well this works."  
  
Piper grabbed an old, broken chair and placed it in front of Phoebe. The glass shattered as the potion hit the chair.  
  
"Uh, I thought the chair was supposed to melt?" Paige asked curiously.  
  
"That's what it says here in the Book of Shadows."  
  
"You probably missed a step or an ingredient," Piper suggested as she looked at her watch. "We can figure this out later, but we have to get to P3 now. You're supposed to help me out with those bouncer interviews, remember?"  
  
"Right," Phoebe answered. "Let's hope this time some cute ones actually come for the interviews."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So do you have any experience working as a security guard or as a bouncer?"  
  
"Well not really," the young man answered.  
  
Piper sighed and looked over at Paige who wore a bored expression on her face. She turned and looked at Phoebe who seemed more interested in the young man's looks than his qualifications for the job.  
  
"To tell you the truth, I'm really looking for someone with some experience," Piper concluded.  
  
"I understand," the young man replied. "But I don't think that you need to worry too much about that."  
  
"Excuse me?" Piper asked, a little confused at the response.  
  
"You should worry more about how you would like to die," he snarled as he kicked Piper in the stomach, causing her to double over in pain.  
  
"Piper!" Phoebe screamed as the man took on a demonic appearance. "Are you alright?"  
  
Piper nodded and struggled to her feet. "You'll be sorry for that, you pathetic fool," she threatened as she unleashed her powers. To her dismay, she could not summon any of her powers.  
  
Phoebe jumped in to provide assistance but she too discovered that she had lost her powers. "Okay, something is really messed up here," she concluded. "Paige, orb us out of here!"  
  
Paige grabbed the hands of her sisters and orbed them back to the manor. The only problem was that after several seconds, the three Charmed Ones noticed that they were still at P3. "I can't orb!" Paige exclaimed in horror.  
  
"That's right, Charmed Ones," the demon laughed. "How does it feel to lose all your powers? Not so invincible anymore, are we?" The demon advanced towards the sisters, who looked around in vain for an escape route. "This is going to be so much fun!"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 19  
  
Piper picked up a chair and threw it at the demon as Phoebe and Paige headed to the fire escape door. To their dismay, the door was locked tight and despite their efforts, the door refused to budge. Soon, they found themselves cornered as the demon advanced on them.  
  
"Chris!" Phoebe called out as a last resort, praying that their Whitelighter would come to their assistance.  
  
Blue lights appeared as Chris orbed in. "You girls alright?"  
  
"Won't be for much longer if you don't do something about that beast!" Piper commented as the demon moved closer.  
  
Chris turned around and faced the demon. Their eyes widened as they stared at each other and it seemed as if time suddenly froze. Then, as quickly as that moment came, the hesitation disappeared. With a swipe of his hand, the young Whitelighter sent an energy ball towards the demon, instantly incinerating him.  
  
"Looks like I got here just in time," Chris remarked with his trademark smirk. "You aren't telling me that the three of you couldn't handle that demon, right?"  
  
"Well, it's kind of hard to kill a demon when we can't use our powers," Phoebe answered.  
  
Chris narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Charmed Ones. "What do you mean you can't use your powers?"  
  
"Someone or something appears to be preventing us from using our powers. Nothing works," Paige answered.  
  
"You know what, let's get back to the manor first. Then we can try to find out just what is happening."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"This just doesn't make sense," Chris thought aloud to himself. "You can't just suddenly lose your powers without something or someone to trigger it."  
  
"Everything was fine up until this morning," Paige added.  
  
"We should have known something was wrong when that potion didn't work," Phoebe lamented.  
  
"What potion?" Chris asked, suddenly curious.  
  
"Some demon-melting potion," Paige answered.  
  
"Well, I don't think we'll have an answer to this tonight. Why don't you all get some rest?" Chris suggested.  
  
Phoebe sighed loudly as she got up from the sofa. "I suppose you're right. I might as well get some sleep."  
  
"You think you can stay here tonight until we figure what is going on? I mean, since we don't have any powers right now," Paige suggested with a hopeful tone.  
  
"Sure," Chris answered. "I'll just stay here on the couch, just in case anything happens."  
  
"Oh, Paige can sleep in my room," Phoebe offered. "Then you can have Paige's room instead of sleeping on the couch."  
  
"I'll be fine," the Whitelighter assured the sisters.  
  
"Okay, if you say so," Phoebe replied. "Goodnight, Chris."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
Once Phoebe had gone upstairs, Paige leaned in to give Chris a good night kiss. "Thanks for staying over."  
  
"No problem," he answered with a smile. "Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Is Piper mad at me for some reason?"  
  
"No," Paige answered with surprise. "Why would you say that?"  
  
"Well, she hasn't said a word to me since we came back from P3. I thought we had gone past this already but it seems like we're back to square one again."  
  
"I think she's just tired, that's all," Paige said, trying to reassure Chris. "Plus, the mess left at P3 by tonight's events is probably giving her headaches."  
  
"I hope so," Chris answered, still not entirely convinced. "Well, you better head up to bed."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris rubbed the sleep from his eyes as sunlight flooded the room. Taking a moment to clear his head, he walked into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. As he entered, he found Piper sitting at the breakfast table, reading the newspaper.  
  
"Morning, Piper."  
  
"Morning," she replied half-heartedly, her eyes still on the newspaper.  
  
Chris sighed and sat down on the table across from Piper. "Have I done something to upset you?"  
  
Finally, Piper looked up from the paper. "No, where did you get such an idea?" Piper asked coolly.  
  
"Well, let's just say you're not too good at masking your feelings."  
  
"Maybe you're just being overly-sensitive."  
  
"Am I?" Chris challenged, refusing to back down. "You've been giving me the cold shoulder ever since last night. If I've done something wrong or if I've upset you, it would help if you could let me know."  
  
Piper stared at the young Whitelighter defiantly, refusing to be intimidated by Chris. "Fine, if you want the truth so much, then I think I deserve the truth as well. What exactly are you and why are you here?"  
  
Chris groaned as he heard Piper's question. "Why are we going through this again? I thought we've gone past this already."  
  
"Well, if you had been honest right from the beginning, we wouldn't have to go through this again now, would we?"  
  
"I told you, I came back to change certain things so that the future won't be so messed up again. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm a Whitelighter."  
  
"Is that so?" Piper asked skeptically.  
  
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Chris shot back.  
  
"What that means is that I don't think you're telling the truth. Not the whole truth anyways."  
  
"So you think I'm lying. After all this, you still think I'm lying," Chris answered, practically shouting now. "You are totally unbelievable, you know that?"  
  
"Well, you aren't helping the situation by your use of deception," Piper countered, refusing to retract her statements.  
  
"What is going on here?" Phoebe exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen. "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday morning!"  
  
"Sorry Phoebe, but you sister here seems to think I'm some fraud Whitelighter."  
  
Paige joined everyone in the kitchen. "Why are we going through this again?"  
  
"Because we don't even know who or what we are dealing with here, that's why," Piper answered sharply.  
  
"Piper, Chris is here to help us. I think he's proven that enough times," Phoebe answered as she defended the young Whitelighter.  
  
"Don't you think he has proven that he is a good guy by now?" Paige joined in the questioning.  
  
"Okay, Chris," Piper began. "Answer this question. Why did you destroy the demon at P3 yesterday?"  
  
"Because he was about to turn you into demon food, if I remember correctly," Chris answered sarcastically.  
  
"Or maybe it's because you wanted to shut him up before he revealed any of your dark secrets?"  
  
"Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Where are you getting all of these theories from?"  
  
"You knew that demon yesterday, Chris, didn't you? And he knew you as well," Piper continued, ignoring Phoebe's comment.  
  
"Is that supposed to be surprising? In the future where I came from, there were demons everywhere. You kind of get to know them after a while, you know."  
  
"Well, the method you chose to vanquish him was very interesting, to say the least," Piper continued.  
  
"Where are you going with this?" Paige sighed, her patience wearing thin.  
  
"Chris," Piper began, "when you vanquished the demon with your energy yesterday, he exploded."  
  
Chris scoffed at the observation. "Tell us something that we don't know Piper."  
  
"I wasn't finished, Chris. Well you see, the demon exploded inwards, as if it was sucked into the energy ball before being incinerated."  
  
"And?" Phoebe asked, also wondering where Piper was heading with these questions.  
  
"Well, according to the Book of Shadows, Whitelighters who use energy balls to vanquish demons cause them to explode - outwards. The only type of magic that can cause demons to explode inwards is black magic. And real Whitelighters don't use black magic, do they, Chris?"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 20  
  
"Do you have any idea what you're saying?" Chris asked, his eyes betraying his fiery anger.  
  
"I mostly certainly do," Piper replied. "So how do you plan to explain yourself?"  
  
"I'm not going to explain anything. What you just said is one of the most ludicrous comments I've heard in a long time. You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about and it just floors me to see you firing away as if you knew it all."  
  
"You can't bluff your way out of this one, Chris. So tell me the truth now."  
  
Phoebe and Paige looked on helplessly at the showdown, not knowing who to believe. Paige still believed that Chris was good, but Piper's comment did manage to sow some seeds of doubt in her mind.  
  
"You want the truth?" Chris spat out vehemently. "Fine!" With that he orbed out before Piper could do anything to restrain him.  
  
"Dammit!" Piper yelled as Chris disappeared.  
  
No sooner had Chris disappeared did he reappear in the kitchen, this time holding the Book of Shadows in his hand. Walking towards the three witches, he threw the book on the kitchen table. "The truth is in the book. So do us all a favour and tell us what the book actually says," Chris challenged.  
  
Piper opened the book and began flipping through the pages. After five minutes, Piper was still flipping through the book looking for her evidence against Chris. Despite her efforts, there was nothing in the book that could back up her accusations.  
  
"Well?" Chris taunted as he poured himself some juice. "Maybe you should go to page 735," he suggested.  
  
"This is impossible!" I saw it in the Book of Shadows.  
  
Finally, Paige walked up and turned to page 735 as Chris had suggested. It read, "Certain Whitelighters have the ability to vanquish demons through incineration. In a majority of cases, this is accomplished through the use of explosive energy balls. Demons are hit with the energy balls as explode. However, there exists a small number of Whitelighters who possess an ability to suck a demon into energy balls before being incinerated."  
  
Piper could not believe her ears. "How could I have missed this page?" she thought to herself.  
  
Phoebe walked up to Piper and wrapped her arms around her. "It's okay, Piper. We know that you're under tremendous stress. But you have to believe that Chris is here to help us, not hurt us."  
  
"It's clear that no matter what happens, you'll never accept me, Piper," Chris began. "It's okay if you think I'm some conniving demonic creature who's out to destroy you. But if that's what you really think, don't ask me to save your butt next time you're in trouble. I don't need to take that crap from you," Chris lambasted Piper as he stormed out to the porch.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence before Paige went after Chris. She found him standing on the porch, staring out into nothingness.  
  
Paige opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Chris. "Save the lecture, Paige. I know I was rude and way out of line. So sue me."  
  
Instead of responding, Paige simply walked up to Chris and put her hand on his shoulder. She gently turned him around to face her before pulling him close and hugging him tightly. "I know how it feels to be misunderstood and falsely accused."  
  
"It's not that," Chris conceded. "I know why she's acting this way and I try to understand, but I guess I'm too immature to respond properly. Just because I'm a Whitelighter, doesn't mean I can't act like a spoiled brat, you know."  
  
Paige could only smile at Chris' comments. "I know she is being hard on you. And I'm sorry that things are like this between the two of you. I just wish I could make it better for you two."  
  
Chris only sighed in response to Paige's comments. "I think I'm failing miserably at this Whitelighter thing."  
  
"Don't say that," Paige answered. "I think you're doing a great job. It's not an easy thing to do, you know."  
  
"You do realize that the your impartiality is questionable, given that you're my girlfriend."  
  
"True," Paige laughed gently. "But still. You know, you're probably one of the youngest of the Whitelighters. So yeah, you're not perfect, but who is?"  
  
Chris took a moment to contemplate Paige's words. "You know, I don't think you girls really need a Whitelighter. You are all more than capable of taking care of yourselves."  
  
"Maybe, but we need someone to keep us grounded, to keep us sane. We need someone who cares for us and would help us even when we don't appreciate it. That person is you, Chris."  
  
The young Whitelighter slowly pulled away from Paige. "Thanks, Paige. I really needed to hear that. I was starting to wonder why I was even here," he said appreciatively. "I should get going now. I need to find out how to get your powers back."  
  
"Be careful, okay?"  
  
"I will," he answered with a gentle smile. "Can you apologize to Piper for me?"  
  
Paige nodded as Chris orbed out. She waited for a moment before going back inside the manor.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris orbed into his apartment and headed to take a shower. After freshening up and changing into some fresh clothes, he began to plan his course of action. Reaching into his jacket, he took out a careful folded sheet of paper. Unfolding it, he read it over and could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.  
  
"Luckily I got to the Book of Shadows before Piper did," he thought to himself as he read the page over and over again. "Otherwise, I could kiss my plan goodbye."  
  
Just reading the words on the page caused Chris to shiver as he contemplated what might have happened: "Energy balls tainted by black magic can be used to vanquish demons, witches, wizards, and Whitelighters. This is accomplished by sucking them into the energy ball before incinerating their beings."  
  
Chris smiled to himself as he began to formulate the plan. "I guess some things are just not meant to be revealed," he thought to himself as he tossed the sheet of paper into garbage can before setting it on fire.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The room was dark as Chris carefully maneuvered his way around the various obstacles. Scanning the room, he quickly located what he was looking for. With lightning quickness, he made his way to the target and grabbed the bottle. Turning around, he began to make his escape, only to find that he couldn't move.  
  
"What the hell?" he cursed silently as he tried to free himself. He tried orbing but that too didn't work.  
  
"Well, well, well. What have we hear?" a voice called out in a seductive tone. "If it isn't the one and only Christopher Perry. To what do I owe the honour?"  
  
"I have no time to play games with you Lara," he answered tersely.  
  
"Obviously," Lara answered coldly. "You are too busy babysitting the Charmed Ones."  
  
"They need this potion, Lara."  
  
"And I'm supposed to care?"  
  
"They're my charges!"  
  
"Not to mention one of them is your girlfriend. I don't think Whitelighters are supposed to date their charges, Chris. But then, you're not really a Whitelighter, are you?"  
  
"Keep your nose out of my business, Lara," Chris threatened.  
  
Lara laughed at the outburst. "I don't think you're in a position to give orders right now."  
  
"What do you want, Lara?"  
  
"Well, aren't we cooperative all of a sudden."  
  
"They need this potion, Lara."  
  
"Good for them. I guess you'll have to demonstrate how much you're willing to pay in exchange for this potion." With that, Lara walked towards Chris until she was standing right in front of him. She began to run her hands up and down his chest.  
  
"Stay away from me," Chris whispered, his voice coarse.  
  
"I've always wanted you, Chris. And now I will have you."  
  
"I said stay the hell away from me," Chris called out angrily.  
  
"Do you want the potion or not?"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 21  
  
Chris stood on the sidewalk, staring at the Halliwell manor. Potion in hand, he stared at the bottle as he contemplated his actions. Taking a deep breath, his eyes hardened as did his resolve. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the front door and entered the manor.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Piper asked coldly as she came out of the kitchen.  
  
Without a word, Chris struck out his hand and froze her. Chris then moved upstairs, surprising Phoebe in her room.  
  
"Chris?" she exclaimed before she too was frozen by the Whitelighter. He was surprised when he turned around and saw Paige standing at the door with a surprised look on his face. Without a word, Chris extended his hand and immobilized Paige.  
  
After orbing all three Charmed Ones into the living room, Chris unleashed the potion on the three witches and unfroze them.  
  
"You bastard!" Piper yelled as she regained her ability to move. She lashed out at Chris, sending him flying across the room and crashing against the wall.  
  
"Oh my god," Phoebe exclaimed, " our powers are back."  
  
Paige immediately ran to where Chris was lying. Taking his head gently in her hands, she tried to wake him. "Chris? Are you alright?" Despite her many attempts to wake him, Chris did not stir.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Paige, you haven't eaten for a whole day, you need to at least eat a little bit," Phoebe urged as she sat down beside Paige.  
  
"I'm not hungry," she whispered as she gently caressed Chris' face. "It's been two days, Phoebe. He hasn't stirred for two days. What if he never wakes up?" she asked as she began to sob softly.  
  
"Shhh. It'll be okay, Paige. Chris will be okay, I promise."  
  
Paige fixed her eyes on Chris and she stayed that way for the next few minutes. Shaking her head, Phoebe got up and left Paige alone with the Whitelighter. A few minutes later, Piper walked in and sat in the same chair that Phoebe was in only minutes earlier. "I'm sorry, Paige. I never meant to hurt him."  
  
"You hated him, Piper," Paige answered without looking at Piper.  
  
"I didn't hate him. I didn't trust him when I guess I should have. But I never wanted to hurt him."  
  
"But you did."  
  
Piper sighed as she understood the implications of her actions. "If I could, I would take back all the horrible things that I said about Chris. I would take back those moments when I sent him crashing into the wall. But I can't, Paige."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The Charmed Ones flipped through the Book of Shadows trying to find a way to revive Chris. As they searched for the right spell, they could hear footsteps coming closer. Looking towards the door, they saw a young woman with long brown hair smiling at them.  
  
"Ah, so you are the famed Charmed Ones," the visitor observed.  
  
"Who are you? And how did you get in here?" Piper asked in a not-so- friendly way.  
  
"You can call me Lara."  
  
"Okay, Lara," Phoebe answered. "And can I ask what you are doing here?"  
  
"I came by to return something."  
  
"I see. But I don't think we've met before, so why would you have anything to return?"  
  
"Well, you see, I'm actually looking for Chris."  
  
"Chris? As in Chris Perry?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. He left his watch at my place a couple nights ago. We were having so much fun and before we knew it, we were in bed together. Then he left so quickly this morning, he forgot to take his watch with him," she explained with a smile.  
  
Paige felt like someone punched her in the stomach. "Well, I'll take the watch, Lara. I'll be sure to pass it on to him," she replied, her voice low and even.  
  
"Thank you. I guess I should get going now." With that, Lara walked out of the room, leaving the Charmed Ones in shock.  
  
"Paige?" Paige turned around to see Chris in the doorway. "Did I just hear someone else talking in here?"  
  
Paige walked up to Chris slowly and deliberately.  
  
"What time is it? How long have I been unconscious?" the Whitelighter asked.  
  
"Well, you would know what time it was if you didn't forget your watch at someone else's house!" Paige replied sharply, thrusting the watch into his hands.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Chris asked with a confused look.  
  
Paige fumed as she heard his question. "Cut the act, Chris. You think we're all idiots and that you can just lie and manipulate your way out of everything."  
  
"Paige!" Chris called out in alarm. "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
In a fit of rage, Paige raised her hands and slapped Chris hard in the face. The young Whitelighter instinctively brought his hand up to his cheeks. "You two-timing bastard!" she screamed. "Here I was all worried about you and you go and get in bed with a tramp!"  
  
"What the hell?" Chris yelled. "I did no such thing!"  
  
"Nice try, Chris, but your friend Lara already told us everything."  
  
"She's lying!"  
  
"Well, then that makes two of you, doesn't it?"  
  
"Paige!"  
  
"Get out," Paige ordered. "I don't ever want to see you again. And we don't need you to be our Whitelighter."  
  
"Paige, don't do this. You have to believe me!" Chris pleaded.  
  
"I said get out!" Paige yelled as she sent Chris flying out the door with her powers before giving in to her tears.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Phoebe and Piper wrapped their arms around Paige and comforted her as best as they could. As Paige's tears subsided, the sound of someone clapping could be heard. The three witches looked up to see Lara in the room, an arrogant smile plastered to her face.  
  
"Well done, Paige," complimented Lara.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Paige answered, not wanting to engage in any conversation with this woman.  
  
"Oh, I just came to thank you."  
  
"There's nothing that you need to thank me for."  
  
"Oh but there is," Lara explained with a smile. "I need to thank you personally for doing all my dirty work for me."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Lara laughed gently as she contemplated her next words. "Well, you see, Chris came by the other night to steal a very valuable potion of mine. Of course, I couldn't let him take it without giving me anything in exchange."  
  
"You were the one who took our powers," Phoebe accused.  
  
"Not at all, but I was the one with the cure for your problems," Lara corrected. "Anyway, I offered a deal to Chris. You see, I've always admired and adored men like him."  
  
"You wanted him to sleep with you in exchange for the potion?" Piper asked as the realization dawned on her. "You are sick."  
  
Lara laughed again at Piper's comment. "Of course, being a typical woman, you simply assumed that Chris would succumb to my temptation."  
  
"You said you two slept together," Paige said softly as the pieces began to fall into place.  
  
"And you believed me," Lara answered triumphantly. "You took my word, the word of a stranger, over his, even though he was your Whitelighter and your boyfriend."  
  
"You lied to me," Paige whispered as she began to sob softly.  
  
"Anyway, he was insistent on taking the potion and refused to agree to my terms, so I offered a compromise."  
  
"What compromise?" Phoebe asked, almost afraid of what the answer would be.  
  
"In exchange for the potion, he would transfer one of his powers to me," the intruder explained proudly. "Of course he agreed, although he didn't know I had something else up my sleeve."  
  
"What did you do?" Piper demanded.  
  
"Let's just say that Chris was foolish to think I would take no for an answer, so I decided to unleash a little punishment, if you know what I mean. I decide to try out a new poison that I had concocted."  
  
The three witches gasped in horror at the revelation. "You see, had you believed Chris, you three should have had little problem saving him with your Power of Three. But since you believed me and threw him out," she continued as she quickly glanced at the clock. "Let's just say poor Chris is probably finished for good by now." She laughed cruelly before walking out of the manor, leaving the Charmed Ones in stunned silence.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 22  
  
Paige pounded on the door as she waited for an answer. "Chris! Open the door!" she cried, hoping that she wasn't too late. Her heart sank when she received no answer at the door.  
  
"Orb us into the apartment, Paige," Piper suggested. Tears running down her face, Paige did as Piper asked. Once in the apartment, they immediately ran into Chris' room.  
  
Paige gasped as she saw Chris curled on up the bed, shaking. His hair was damp and his face was ghostly white.  
  
"Chris?" Paige whispered softly as she sat on his bed, wiping the cold sweat from his face.  
  
Chris looked up at her with eyes that had become dull. "Why are you here?" he whispered, his strength nearly sapped from him.  
  
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I should've listened to you."  
  
"Just leave me alone," he said as he tried to turn away.  
  
"I'm not leaving you, Chris. You'll be fine, I promise."  
  
"I deserve this," he said simply before going silent once again. "Just leave, okay? I don't need your pity."  
  
Phoebe moved to the other side of the bed so that Chris couldn't avoid them. "We're not pitying you. We can't exactly vanquish demons without a Whitelighter, you know."  
  
"They'll assign a new one to you."  
  
"We don't want a new one. You are our Whitelighter, so you're not going to ditch us now. And that's final." Before Chris could get in another word, the three witches said a spell and unleashed their powers on Chris.  
  
To their dismay, their spell had no effect on the young Whitelighter. Paige sat on the bed and took Chris' hand in hers. "We can't break the spell, Chris," she sobbed. "But you have to fight it. Only you can beat the spell."  
  
"No," he whispered. "I can't beat it. It's too strong for me." A single tear slid down his face as he felt himself losing the battle. "I'm sorry, Paige."  
  
Paige looked panic-stricken as she felt Chris giving up. "You can't give up, Chris. We have so many things that we need to do. So much time that we need to spend together. You can't throw all of that away," she pleaded. "Please, Chris. Fight it. I know you can do it."  
  
Paige's pleas pushed Chris to try one last time. He concentrated the little power that he had left and tried to break the spell's hold on him. A tremendous pain ripped through his body and he let out an anguished cry before his body relaxed.  
  
"I think it worked," Phoebe commented as she noticed colour slowly creeping back onto the Whitelighter's face. Sure enough, Chris' breathing returned to normal and his body stopped shaking. There was no doubt that he was still physically weak but at least his situation was very slowly improving.  
  
Taking his hands once more, Paige brought them to her lips and kissed them. "I'm so sorry, Chris. I should've listened," she whispered as tears threatened to fall again.  
  
Her words were met by a pair of sad eyes, eyes that should never belong to someone as young as Chris. His only reaction was to pull her close and comfort her as she sobbed softly. "Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris rested his elbows on the kitchen counter as he watched Paige prepare the pasta. "Remember to drain the pasta thoroughly," he reminded, causing Paige to smile.  
  
"Yes, Chef Perry," she answered with a giggle.  
  
"Hey, this is serious stuff," the Whitelighter answered with mock anger. Paige simply responded by flicking water at Chris. "Is this any way to treat an injured, defenceless Whitelighter?" he asked with a grin.  
  
"Oops, I left the dressing for the salad in the basement," Paige remarked with a giggle. "I'll be right back."  
  
The light atmosphere in the kitchen abruptly turned tense as Piper walked into the room. Chris merely acknowledged her with a nod before turning his attention to the pasta.  
  
"We need to talk," Piper began.  
  
"Actually, there's nothing that we need to talk about," Chris answered coolly. "You've made your point of view quite clearly. There's no need repeat yourself."  
  
"Listen to me, Chris," Piper replied sternly.  
  
"No," Chris cut her off angrily. "You listen to me, Piper. We've been through this one too many times and I'm not going to go through it again. If you're in trouble, I'll help you because you're my charge. I will be civil towards you because you're Paige's sister. But beyond that, I want nothing to do with you, is that clear?" he asked.  
  
"I admit I was wrong this time," Piper conceded.  
  
"That's my point," Chris argued. "The point is you still don't trust me. And like I said before, you probably never will. So let's not fool ourselves into thinking that anything will change for the better." Without waiting for an answer, he walked out to the backyard, leaving a stunned Piper standing in the kitchen.  
  
"Wow, that sounded like a mighty pissed off Whitelighter," Phoebe remarked as she poured herself a glass of juice, trying to diffuse the tension.  
  
Piper sighed and sat down by the kitchen table, staring at the half-made pasta. "Well, I can't say I blame him for feeling this way."  
  
"Let me talk to him, okay?" Paige offered as she placed the dressing on the counter before heading out to the backyard to join Chris.  
  
"You okay?" Paige asked gently joined Chris in staring off into the horizon.  
  
"Not really," Chris answered after a brief pause.  
  
"Want to talk about it?"  
  
"There's not much to talk about. I shouldn't have said what I did to Piper. But I have too big of an ego to go and apologize."  
  
Paige thought for a moment before replying. "You know, you have a right to be angry. If I were in your shoes, I would be furious."  
  
"I know," Chris answered. "The problem is I'm not angry. I'm just," he paused, "God, I don't even know," he groaned in frustration.  
  
"Maybe you're not angry. But you're hurt. It hurts when people don't believe you and accuse you of things that you are not. It hurts even more when you've put yourself on the line but end up being accused instead."  
  
A sad smile formed on Chris' face. "I used to think that Whitelighters had the easiest job. I guess I should've saved my laughter until I've actually tried being a Whitelighter myself."  
  
Paige pulled Chris close and hugged him. "It's okay. You're a great Whitelighter. Just don't push yourself to do something that you really don't want to do."  
  
Chris smiled and kissed Paige on the forehead. "I think we better get back to the pasta or else I'll be accused of starving my charges to death."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris and Paige sat out in the backyard gazing at the stars in the night sky, enjoying the comfortable silence that enveloped them. Neither Chris nor Paige had ever shown much interest in stargazing, but it seemed such an appropriate thing to do now that they're a couple.  
  
"That was very courageous of you," Paige finally remarked, breaking the silence.  
  
Chris turned to face Paige at that comment. "What? You mean apologizing to Piper?"  
  
Paige nodded with a smile of admiration. "I wasn't expecting you to. Not so soon anyways."  
  
"It was the right thing to do. I don't think I couldn't done my job properly if I didn't get everything out on the table."  
  
"You continue to amaze me everyday, you know that, Chris?"  
  
"I take that as a good thing?"  
  
"Definitely good," Paige said with a smile.  
  
The two sat in comfortable silence for a while longer before Chris wrapped his arms around Paige and helping her lean back against his body. They sat that way for a long time, enjoying that peace that they had been given and wondering how long it will last before they were placed in another life- threatening situation.  
  
Paige was broken out of her thoughts by the soft sound of Chris' singing:  
  
"When I am down, and oh my soul so weary, when troubles come, and my heart burdened be, then I am still and wait here in the silence, until you come and sit awhile with me.  
  
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be."  
  
Paige felt tears of joy fall as she heard Chris pour his heart out to her.  
  
"I love you, Paige," the young Whitelighter professed. "I need you to help me through this."  
  
Paige leaned back against Chris and savoured the moment. "I love you too, Chris. I've never loved someone like this before."  
  
"This will always be our song, Paige," Chris whispered.  
  
"You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be. You raise me up to more than I can be."  
  
~ to be continued ~  
  
Note: "You Raise Me Up" as recently performed by Josh Groban on his CD "Closer" 


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 23  
  
~ Several weeks later ~  
  
"Here, let me take some of the bags," Paige offered as she turned her attention to another display window.  
  
Chris just smiled and shook his head. "That's okay. I think I can manage."  
  
"Okay, let me go into this store and then we can drop the bags back at the car first."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Chris laughed as she dragged him into a baby clothing store.  
  
Forty-five minutes later, the two exited the stores with two more bags filled with clothes. "These would look so cute on Wyatt," Paige said excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, they are pretty cute," Chris agreed. "But you still didn't have to take almost an hour to decide!" he added good-naturedly.  
  
"I couldn't decide, okay?" Paige answered with a big grin. "Plus, you weren't helping much by spotting new ideas every time I was about to make a decision."  
  
Chris sighed dramatically and nodded. "Alright, alright. I'll take the blame for this one, as usual."  
  
Paige laughed at Chris' expression. "That's what makes you so lovable, Chris."  
  
As the two walked towards the exit, they came upon a huge poster of Chris modeling the store's latest denim wear. At the same moment, a bunch of teenage girls seemed to realize that Chris was the same person as the model on the poster. What followed was nothing short of chaos as they fought for a chance to take pictures and get autographs from the young model/Whitelighter.  
  
When they finally made their way to the car, Chris was exhausted. "Remind me never to come to the shopping mall during school holidays."  
  
Paige simply laughed as she drove the car out of the busy parking lot. "I thought that was rather cute. Seeing you all frazzled and confused was definitely a change from the usual cocky Whitelighter that I'm so used to seeing."  
  
"I am not cocky, just confident," Chris corrected.  
  
Paige nodded and smiled knowingly. "Sure, sure."  
  
"Of course you would think it's funny. You weren't the one who was almost suffocated and almost had his clothes ripped right off of him by a bunch of crazed teenage girls."  
  
Paige turned towards Chris and pouted. "I know. For a moment, I was kind of hoping that they would actually rip your clothes right off of you."  
  
A look of shock made its way onto Chris' face. "You have one dirty mind, Paige. I'm shocked."  
  
"Life is full of surprises, isn't it?" Paige teased as they drove home.  
  
Paige parked the car on the driveway and Chris went to the trunk to take out the fruits of their trip to the mall. With a bit of trouble, he finally managed to bring everything into the house.  
  
"Oh my," Piper observed, "did you buy the whole mall, Paige?"  
  
"No, she only had enough help to carry half the mall home," Chris remarked with a smirk, earning him a playful jab to his ribs.  
  
Phoebe walked down the stairs to join everyone, stopping to admire Paige's purchases. "Are you taking advantage of our Whitelighter again?"  
  
"I'd say," Chris smirked again. "She is just out of control once she steps into a shopping mall."  
  
"Oh, you mean I forgot to warn you this morning?" Phoebe asked, laughing.  
  
"Excuse me," Paige interjected with mock annoyance. "But if I remember correctly, about ten of these twenty bags belong to you, Mr. Perry."  
  
Chris put up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, you win. I'll quit complaining."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Dinner was a light-hearted affair as everyone enjoyed the quiet company and the wonderful food. Even Wyatt cooperated by allowing Piper to enjoy her dinner without throwing a single tantrum.  
  
After dinner, Chris offered to do the dishes while everyone else relaxed in the living room. Once he was done, he joined the group, hauling several bags that he brought back from the mall with him.  
  
Taking out one box from the bag, he handed it to Phoebe. "Merry Christmas, Phoebe." Phoebe was clearly surprised but delighted at the gesture.  
  
"Thanks, Chris! You didn't have to, you know."  
  
"Hey it's Christmas. Of course I needed to get gifts for you girls." Bringing out another box, he moved over to Wyatt who looked on happily. "Don't worry, little buddy," he cooed. "I didn't forget you." Wyatt laughed happily as he saw the many presents that Chris had for him. Finally, he handed Piper her present.  
  
Piper looked surprised and touched. "Thank you, Chris. I don't quite know what to say."  
  
Chris smiled at Piper, although there was a tinge of sadness to the smile. "Thanks for putting up with me for so long. I know it's difficult and I haven't made it any easier for you either."  
  
"No, no," Piper waved off the suggestion. "I should be the one saying that. I've been on your back ever since you arrived and I really feel bad."  
  
"You don't have to," Chris answered with understanding. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting any of you to accept me with open arms. Not to mention the fact that I'm not exactly the top-notch Whitelighter you would expect to be assigned to protect the Charmed Ones."  
  
"Don't be silly," Phoebe joined in. "You've been great. More than great, actually. You've really helped us a lot, Chris."  
  
"You really think so?" Chris asked with the hopeful tone of a child wanting approval.  
  
"We definitely know so," Piper answered. "And although I can't say that I'm at 100% with you yet in terms of trust and confidence, I must admit that the situation is improving very quickly."  
  
Chris nodded gently. "I understand."  
  
At this point, Phoebe pulled out a number of boxes from behind the couch. "And since we're already in the midst of exchanging gifts, I guess this would be the time for us to give you the gifts that we got for you." Chris' eyes shot open as he tried to understand what was happening. His shock and surprise did not escape the Charmed Ones' observations. "You didn't think that we would forget you, right?"  
  
"I really wasn't expecting this," Chris admitted, still trying to fathom what was happening. Finally, he slowly began to open the numerous presents that were addressed to him. Among the many things that he received were all sorts of clothing, a CD player and a number of CDs. "I don't know what to say," he finally managed to whisper.  
  
"Oh wow. The one and only Chris Perry is actually speechless. Piper, mark down this historic day," Phoebe teased.  
  
Chris' hands held the fleece sweatshirt that he received. The three witches looked on as the young Whitelighter fixed his eyes on the sweatshirt. "Thank you," he said gratefully.  
  
"You're very welcome," all three of them said as everyone proceeded to the kitchen for dessert.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
After putting Wyatt to bed, Piper reemerged in the kitchen just as Paige and Phoebe were finishing up the dishes. The three of them then headed into the living room, only to find Chris sitting on the floor, the fleece sweatshirt once again in his hands. Phoebe was about to say something when Piper stopped her.  
  
Paige and Phoebe looked at Piper with a confused look. The Charmed Ones then turned their attention back to Chris, whose eyes were glistening with tears.  
  
No one quite knew what to make of the situation and they didn't understand why Chris was behaving this way. The young Whitelighter was oblivious to the fact that he was being observed by his charges.  
  
It wasn't long before the tears streaked down Chris' face, his hands still holding tightly onto the sweatshirt. His body began to wrack with soft sobs. Even though he was barely making a sound, the sight sent chills up the spines of the Charmed Ones. This was a side of Chris that they had never seen before.  
  
Chris continued to sob, and his cries were becoming louder. "Mom! Dad! Ben!" he whispered. "I miss you so much!" What came out of Chris' mouth after that was unintelligible, as his words became muffled by his cries of anguish.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 24  
  
~ flash forward ~  
  
"Don't worry, things will be okay, Mom," Chris said as he shivered from the cold.  
  
"I know, Chris," Lauryn answered as she tried to force a smile on her face. Deep down, she knew that things were not okay. In fact, she wasn't even sure if they would survive the night. Things have been difficult for the past few years, but despite the odds, the family had managed to survive.  
  
Lauryn came from a line of powerful witches. Ever since the defeat of the Charmed Ones years ago, her line of witches had tried to take up the torch and carry on the fight against the demons who ruled the world. For a while, the witches held their own, but soon, the demons began to gain the upper hand. Things became desperate and it seemed as if all would be lost. That was when she met Michael. It was during one of those epic battles that it first began. During this particular battle, a great number of witches were killed by the demons. Lauryn was about to give up hope when Michael and his friends joined the fight. In the end, the demons were pushed back and it wasn't long before she fell in love with Michael.  
  
Michael was a Whitelighter, one of the few who survived the demon's onslaught. He was different from the rest. Cocky but charming, confident but caring, he possessed powers that other Whitelighters did not have. Amidst the turmoil, Lauryn and Michael developed a love for each other that resulted in marriage. Together, they fought side by side against the demons and scored a number of major victories.  
  
Several years passed and Lauryn gave birth to an adorable son. They named him Chris, after one of the great warriors who fought valiantly against the demons. He possessed his father's strength and his mother's wisdom. Most of all, he possessed both of their powers. He was their pride and their joy. He was their hope - their hope that perhaps one day, he would live in a world free of demons.  
  
Lauryn and Michael soon had another child, who they named Ben. Chris loved Ben more than anyone and sheltered him from every and any real or perceived danger. The two brothers grew close and their bonds were strong. Lauryn and Michael's hopes grew that together, Chris and Ben would be beacons of light in a world of darkness.  
  
Soon after, the demons began to mount a fierce attack on the forces of good. This time, they were determined to drive out and destroy anyone who dared oppose them. The pure brutality of their attack took the forces of good by surprise. Lauryn and Michael fought valiantly, but realized that they were no match for their attackers. Taking Chris and Ben, the family fled their home into the countryside, hoping to outrun their pursuers.  
  
Lauryn broke from her thoughts as she heard Ben crying.  
  
"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, hoping that Ben's crying would not attract the attention of the demons.  
  
"I think he must have been hurt when we were leaving the house," Chris said as he noticed the bleeding. "It looks like one of the Kyrons' poisons."  
  
"Let me heal him," Michael replied as he joined the three of them.  
  
"But Michael, you have already lost so much power from the fight," Lauryn answered, alarmed at what her injured husband was about to do.  
  
"He's our son," Michael answered grimly. "I have to save him."  
  
"Dad, we can use the balsam shoots to nurse his wounds," Chris said. "Then you can conserve your powers."  
  
"It's too dangerous to go out and find the balsam shoots," his father objected.  
  
"I know where I can get them," Chris insisted. "Let me go find it."  
  
"No, Chris. It's too dangerous."  
  
"Please Dad? Ben's hurting so much. I promise I'll be careful," the young boy pleaded.  
  
"Very well, Chris. But you promise to be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks."  
  
"I promise, Dad," Chris answered as he moved to hug Michael and Lauryn. He then knelt down by Ben, who was still whimpering softly. "You hang in there, buddy. I'll bring the balsam shoots back for you, okay?"  
  
Ben looked at Chris with his blue eyes and nodded obediently.  
  
With that, Chris left the cave in search of the balsam shoots.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris snuck into the garden and looked around to make sure no one was around. He scanned the area and finally located what he came to look for. Grabbing it, he made his escape.  
  
The young boy smiled as he looked at the balsam shoots. "Ben is going to be so happy once his wounds heal," he thought excitedly. Running into the cave, his senses caused him to come to an abrupt stop. There was the smell. The smell that was so familiar to him. The smell that he grew up with but dreaded all the same. It was the smell of death.  
  
He dropped the balsam shoot and ran into the cave, not caring whether or not an ambush was waiting for him. The sight that met him knocked the wind out of the young boy. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.  
  
There before his eyes was his beloved family, lying on the ground, bloodied and motionless. "No!" he cried as his mind refused to believe what he saw. "NO!!!"  
  
He crawled over to Michael, his body marred by numerous wounds. The body was warm but there was no life in it. "DAD!!!" the young boy sobbed as tried in vain to revive his father. Lying next to Michael was Lauryn, her body pierced by the sword of the Dark One. "MOM!!!"  
  
The body moved. The movement was so faint that Chris almost did not notice it. "Chris," she whispered weakly.  
  
"Mom!!" the boy cried desperately. "Don't leave me!! You can't leave me!!"  
  
"My baby," she cried, her strength failing her. "I love you, baby," she gasped before she too succumbed to her wounds.  
  
"MOM!!!!!!!!!!!" Chris sobbed as his world crashed around him. He hugged her tightly, hoping that she was only asleep. But despite his young age, Chris was already well-acquainted with the idea of death. Deep down he knew - his parents were dead; he was now an orphan.  
  
His eyes darted to the other end of the cave. Ben!! Chris ran over to where Ben was lying. The younger boy was severely wounded and gasping for air. Chris helped him to a more comfortable position and summoned all his powers to save him. Despite his efforts, Chris could do little to lessen Ben's pain.  
  
"Did you get the balsam shoots?" Ben whispered as his breaths became shorter.  
  
Chris held the dying Ben in his arms and nodded. "Yes. I promised you I would get it, right?"  
  
Ben smiled and nodded. "You're the best, Chris. I've always wanted to be like you."  
  
Chris shook his head as tears flowed uncontrollably down his young face. "You'll be even better than me, Ben. You hang in there."  
  
Ben simply smiled but did not answer as his strength was just about sapped. After a moment, he opened his mouth again. "I love you, Chris," he struggled to say. "Don't." Ben's body convulsed as he struggled to breathe.  
  
"Ben!!" Chris panicked. "You'll be okay. You just get some rest, okay?"  
  
Ben shook his head. "Don't. Give. Up."  
  
Chris sat in stunned silence as Ben's body went limp in his hands. The rumbling of thunder could be heard as the rain poured down. Chris stared down at Ben's now lifeless body and felt an uncontrollable rage surge through him. He looked up into the heavens, his eyes burning with fire. The young boy's body shook violently as he yelled at the top of his lungs, "NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 25  
  
~ flash back to the present ~  
  
Chris struggled to compose himself as he recounted the most painful day of his young life. His hands still held on to the fleece sweatshirt as his eyes took on a distant look. "My mom gave me a sweatshirt like this the Christmas before the demons drove us from our house. I got one and Ben got a similar one," he explained softly.  
  
Paige's heart ached as she listened to Chris recall the memories of his family. She didn't even notice her own tears smearing her makeup. Piper and Phoebe were just as shaken by Chris' revelations.  
  
Paige pulled Chris into a hug as she tried to comfort him. She had never seen him look so distraught and vulnerable. Behind the façade of cockiness and confidence was really a young man who had experienced so much pain and grief. "I'm so sorry, Chris. I don't know what do say."  
  
Chris hugged his girlfriend tightly, almost as if he was afraid to let go. "I'm sorry for ruining your night," he finally said to all three witches. "I think I was okay until I saw the sweatshirt. I just kinda lost it after that."  
  
"That's okay," Phoebe answered sympathetically. "You don't have to apologize for things like that."  
  
Chris finally pulled away from Paige and wiped the remaining tears from his face. "Oh God, I can't believe I just cried like a baby in front of my charges. So much for the cocky, know-it-all Whitelighter image," he laughed lightly through his tears.  
  
"Hey, you blew that image of yours quite a while ago," Phoebe teased lightly. "Ever since you became Paige's good, obedient boyfriend."  
  
"That was uncalled for," Paige answered back with a smile as she watched Chris slowly get back to his normal self.  
  
"I'll leave you three to battle this out. I think I better head home and get some rest."  
  
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?"  
  
Chris smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Don't worry. I'm a big boy so I'll be fine."  
  
"Alright," Piper answered in a motherly tone. "You know that we're all here if you need us."  
  
"I know," he answered. "Thanks so much for everything," he said as he motioned to the gifts.  
  
"You're very welcome," Phoebe said with a smile as Chris prepared to orb out. "Oh, and Chris?"  
  
The young Whitelighter gave her a quizzical look as he waited for her to continue.  
  
"You might have lost your biological family, but we really want you to be part of our family now."  
  
Chris smiled and looked to the floor for a moment before meeting the eyes of his charges again. "Thank you," was all he said before he orbed out.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Paige had a hard time sleeping that night. Not surprisingly, her thoughts were filled with images of Chris' childhood. She never thought that he had suffered so much in his young life. All this time, she always thought of him as a cocky Whitelighter who was obsessed with demon killing. Now, with the knowledge of his childhood, she began to see him in a new light.  
  
The time that she has spent getting to know her boyfriend has really opened her eyes to a new side of Chris. Despite the image that he tried to portray, Paige saw a kind, gentle young man whose life has been plagued by pain and sadness. She wanted to change that, but was afraid that she would not be able to erase the pain that has already been etched in Chris' memory.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Phoebe tossed and turned in her bed. She remembered the day when Prue died. She remembered the pain that she felt for the longest time as she tried to deal with her older sister's death. Now, it was almost she was reliving everything all over again with Chris' revelations.  
  
Even though she wasn't related to Chris, she felt his pain as he recounted the events of that fateful day. She admired his courage, being able to carry on despite the horror and tragedy that he faced. She began to realize that Chris was not the immature Whitelighter that she once thought. In fact, he is continuously showing her that he is mature beyond his age. The only question that nagged her was whether or not there was anything that she could do help Chris? The pain and sadness that she saw in his eyes haunted her, and she knew that there had to be a way to bring him happiness.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Piper rested on her bed with her eyes open. Chris' revelations shocked her, to say the least. It also revealed a huge piece of the puzzle known as Chris Perry. As she thought about this, she began to piece together what she knew about Chris. All of a sudden, he didn't seem to be such a mystery anymore. He wasn't some unknown creature from the future. In fact, he was just like all of them. He experienced pain and sadness just like they did when Prue died. It really made Chris all that much more comprehensible.  
  
On the other hand, Piper could not help but feel that somehow, Chris still had not revealed all of the important pieces of information. There was still something that he was hiding. Something that he desperately does not want anyone to know. "What could it be?" she wondered.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The morning sunshine woke Chris up from his sleep. Groaning, he dragged himself out of bed and got ready to begin his day. He had lots of his agenda today and there was little time to waste.  
  
The sweatshirt that he received from the Charmed Ones last night really threw him a curveball. He really wasn't expecting it and the events that followed were totally unplanned. Looking back, he could only blame himself for being so careless and for revealing so much. What he did was dangerous and could have easily derailed his plans. Now he had to make amends to make sure that his grand plan would not be affected by his one moment of weakness.  
  
After grabbing some quick breakfast, he headed to Morris Park outside the city. He had a couple of hours to spare before he had to meet Paige. Looking around, he finally located what he wanted. Moving towards the target, he was stopped when green lights appeared in front of him.  
  
"Well, well," the visitor greeted. "We meet again, Christopher."  
  
Chris' clenched his fist and tried to control his temper. "What do you want, Arkon?"  
  
"Nothing," the demon replied innocently. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."  
  
"Spare me the act and just tell me what you are doing here," Chris seethed.  
  
The demon sighed dramatically. "I'm heartbroken, Christopher. Here I was coming to see if you were alright after last night's ordeal and this is the treatment I get. I know it must have hurt you to realize that you were the cause of your parents' death."  
  
"Shut up," Chris shouted, barely able to control his rage.  
  
"Face the truth, Christopher. No matter how much good you try to do, you can't change the fact that you killed your parents."  
  
"You're lying!" Chris countered, his voice trembling. "You're lying!"  
  
Arkon laughed at the young Whitelighter's reaction. "How do you think the demons found your parents if you weren't so clumsy when you went to find the balsam shoots? Your orbing was a clear signal to the demons as to your location."  
  
Chris fell on his knees as Arkon spoke, his eyes wide, his body trembling from shock.  
  
"If you had even half a brain, you would have actually walked a while before orbing. But no, you just decided to orb right from the cave. That was just plain stupid."  
  
"You're lying," Chris whispered, his voice weak and unconvincing.  
  
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Arkon laughed. "All this time, you've been trying to rid the world of your parent's killers when you've been the one responsible for their death all along. What good is your magic then? You are a disgrace to your family, a disgrace to the supposed forces of good. You're just an embarrassment to Whitelighters the world over."  
  
Chris covered his ears, trying to block out Arkon's voice. But the damage had been done. "You killed your parents," a voice in his head condemned him. "You killed Ben," the voice continued. Chris struggled to his feet and unleashed an energy ball towards Arkon. The demon didn't even bother to move as he stood there with a grin. It was Chris who gasped when he realized that he couldn't summon any energy balls.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 26  
  
"I guess he hasn't shown up yet?" Piper asked as she emerged from the kitchen.  
  
"Nope," Phoebe answered as she finished up her column. "Didn't he say he was coming around at four?"  
  
"That's what he told me," Piper called out as she tended to the stove.  
  
"Thank god we're not being attacked by demons right now, because our Whitelighter doesn't seem to be answering our calls."  
  
"Is Chris here yet?" Paige called out as she joined Phoebe in the living room.  
  
"Not that I know of," Phoebe answered. "Shouldn't you know more than we would?"  
  
"He said he was going to come by after running some errands this morning," Paige replied, sounding a little worried.  
  
"Well, maybe his errands took longer than expected. I'm sure he'll show up on his own time. We're talking about Chris here, remember? He doesn't follow schedules," Phoebe offered, trying to lighten the atmosphere.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Paige orbed in to the apartment in hopes of finding her boyfriend. Not finding him in the living room, she moved into the bedroom. She was met with his still form lying on the bed, his eyes open and staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Chris?"  
  
Silence.  
  
She sat down on the bed and took his hands in hers. "Chris? Are you alright? I thought you were coming by the manor after your errands?"  
  
"Just leave me alone," Chris answered, his voice expressionless.  
  
"You know that's not going to happen," Paige answered. "Now tell me what's wrong?"  
  
Chris simply sighed and turned to face the window, away from Paige. The young witch simply got up and moved to the other side of the bed, which again caused Chris to turn tack back towards the door.  
  
"You're my Whitelighter, Chris," she began. "Not to mention the fact that you're my boyfriend. Shouldn't that mean we can tell each other what's on our minds?"  
  
"Please, Paige," Chris pleaded. "I'm really not in the mood right now."  
  
"That's your problem, Chris. You always have to be in the mood," Paige retorted with frustration. "That's not how things work. You can't always wait to be in the mood."  
  
"Are you quite finished?" Chris asked as he resumed staring at the ceiling.  
  
By now, Paige was getting angry. "What is wrong with you? One minute you're all happy and now you just act like you don't care about anything. How can you be our Whitelighter like this? What if we were attacked by demons at this moment?"  
  
Chris finally got up from the bed and glared at Paige. "Maybe I wasn't born to be a Whitelighter," he yelled. "Maybe this is their way of punishing me for my wrongs!" Chris' voice trembled as he slid off the bed, falling to his knees on the bedroom floor. His body shook and tears streamed down his face.  
  
Paige's anger quickly subsided as her heart ached. Kneeling down, she pulled Chris close as he cried on her chest. "Chris, everything will be okay. Please tell me what's wrong. Let me help you."  
  
"You can't," he sobbed. "No one can. It's too late."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris sat in the sofa in the Halliwell manor as the three witches looked on. "I don't think I can be your Whitelighter anymore," he said softly.  
  
The statement was met with audible gasps of shock. "What did you just say?" Phoebe asked even though she heard exactly what he said.  
  
"I can't be your Whitelighter," Chris repeated as he stared at the floor.  
  
"You're kidding, right?" Paige asked as she suddenly found it hard to breathe.  
  
"What do you mean you can't be our Whitelighter?" Piper spoke for the first time.  
  
"I just can't, okay?" Chris replied as he looked up at met the eyes of the Charmed Ones. "I can't protect you three."  
  
"You're not making any sense," Phoebe cut in. "You've proven many times you can. What makes it any different now?"  
  
Chris angrily got up to summon an energy ball and a blue light formed around his hand. But instead of an energy ball, the light slowly faded and disappeared. "That," he spat, "is what's different now!"  
  
The Charmed Ones looked confused and shocked. "What just happened?" Paige asked as she tried to fathom what she just saw. "What happened to the energy ball?"  
  
"There was no energy ball," Chris answered. "I can't summon them anymore."  
  
"That's impossible. How could this happen?"  
  
"I don't know," Chris answered softly. "But all I know is that I can't protect you girls anymore. I can't even protect myself."  
  
Piper got up with a determined look. "We'll find a way to reverse this. The Book of Shadows must have the answer."  
  
The three Charmed Ones dragged a reluctant Chris into the attic as they searched for an answer. As Piper searched through the Book of Shadows, Paige and Phoebe tried to put together some logical explanation.  
  
"Wait," Paige began. "Did you encounter anyone out of the ordinary since you left this morning?"  
  
Immediately, Chris thought back to his encounter with Arkon in the park earlier in the day. "No," Chris lied. "I spent the most of the day at the studio and then I went back to the apartment."  
  
"Then that's really strange," Paige continued. "How can your powers just disappear like that?"  
  
Before she could come up with an answer, a loud crash could be heard downstairs. Running downstairs, the Charmed Ones were met by a legion of demons. As they tried to fight them off, several demons snuck up from behind and struck the three witches, sending them crashing against the wall.  
  
Piper struggled to get up as she noticed Phoebe and Paige both unconscious. Chris looked on helplessly as he tried to summon energy balls to save his charges. No matter how hard he tried, he could get little more than a weak blue light to form. As the demons prepared to attack a shocked Piper, Chris lashed out his hand, instantly immobilizing the demons. Grabbing his charges, Chris orbed out of the manor and back to his apartment.  
  
Piper paced the room as she tried to recollect herself while waiting for Paige and Phoebe to regain consciousness. After several minutes, they began to stir, causing Piper to sigh in relief.  
  
"Ugh," groaned Paige, "what just happened?"  
  
"I think we were ambushed," Piper offered.  
  
"And how did we end up here?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Chris orbed us here," Piper answered.  
  
"And where is Chris?" Phoebe inquired again as she looked around the apartment.  
  
"Good question," Piper replied as she headed towards the bedroom. Paige and Phoebe followed as they searched for their Whitelighter. The three entered Chris' bedroom and gasped at the sight that greeted them.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 27  
  
Chris sat on the floor, his back leaning against the wall. His face was pale and his right hand clutched his left arm in an attempt to cover up the wound.  
  
Despite his protests, the three witches carried the injured Whitelighter to his bed. Using a spell that they had recently learned, the Charmed Ones closed the wound to stop further injuries. They were unable, however, to heal their Whitelighter completely.  
  
"What happened?" Paige whispered as she sat on the bed, holding Chris' hands.  
  
Chris struggled to calm his erratic breathing. "I think I lost," he paused slightly before continuing, "too much energy from the orbing." The young Whitelighter looked up and noticed the worried expressions on his charges' faces. "Don't worry. I'll be fine," he answered as he tried to put a smile on his face.  
  
"This is serious, Chris," Phoebe replied, not buying Chris' reassurances at all.  
  
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself."  
  
"How?" Piper asked. "You can't defend yourself. You're injured. And you can't orb without losing large amounts of energy."  
  
"Geez, you really know how to make a guy feel incompetent," Chris replied, again trying to lighten the mood as he slowly regained his strength.  
  
"Chris," Phoebe began before being cut off.  
  
"I know, I know. This is serious, right?" Chris cut in. "Listen, I'm fine. I can't summon energy balls but other than that I'm fine. And for your information, I can orb. I just didn't prepare myself properly back at the manor before orbing, that's all."  
  
"And we're supposed to just take your word for it?" Phoebe asked skeptically.  
  
An incredulous look appeared on Chris' face. "Yes! That's the idea." Chris looked around and it was apparent that he failed to persuade his charges. "I think the more important thing to do now is to prepare yourselves for further attacks. Those demons didn't attack you for no reason, you know. I have a feeling we've just seen the tip of the iceberg."  
  
"We can deal with them. We were just careless back there," Piper asserted. "It's you that we're worried about."  
  
The young Whitelighter sighed in frustration. "Listen, I'm fine!! Look at me! No scratches, no bruises. I'm perfectly fine!"  
  
"You're not." Paige began.  
  
"Can we change the subject now?" Chris pleaded.  
  
"Fine," Phoebe relented. "Let's talk about destroying those demons."  
  
"Actually, you won't have to worry about them for now," Chris answered, drawing puzzled looks from his charges. "They're not around anymore."  
  
"What do you mean they're not around?"  
  
"I sensed them leaving. They've gone back to the underworld."  
  
"Why would they come to attack us and then leave just like that?" Paige asked, obviously confused.  
  
"I don't know," Chris admitted. "Which is why I think you should be prepared for whatever comes next. It may not be pretty."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Surprisingly, a few days passed without a single sign of the attacking demons. It was now Christmas Eve and the festivities temporarily took everyone's minds off demons and magic.  
  
"Chris, have some more turkey," Piper suggested as she helped herself to some stuffing.  
  
"No way," Chris said, shaking his head. "I'm totally stuffed. I haven't eaten this much in ages."  
  
"Well, that explains why you're so skinny."  
  
Chris made a funny face before responding. "I am not skinny."  
  
"Okay, fine," Phoebe joined it. "Then you're scrawny."  
  
Chris gasped dramatically, pretending to be insulted. "That was so uncalled for."  
  
"Well, I really wouldn't mind if you put on a little more weight," Paige added.  
  
"This is so unfair, you three ganging up on poor little me," Chris protested.  
  
The Charmed Ones laughed at the comment, with Wyatt joining in the laughter. "Ganging up on you is half the fun, you know," Phoebe concluded.  
  
"That's it," Chris said as he stood up from the table. "I'm going to bring out the dessert," he announced with a serious look, although the smile on his face made his attempted seriousness hard to believe. The young Whitelighter opened the fridge and brought out a tray of pastries. The room gradually started to sway, forcing Chris to hold on to the counter to steady himself. After several seconds, the swaying stopped and he rejoined his charges in the dining room, trying to wipe out any sign of his dizzy spell.  
  
"Are you okay, Chris?" Piper asked as the young Whitelighter emerged. "You look kind of pale."  
  
"I'm fine," Chris answered. "I'm just a little tired."  
  
"Didn't I tell you not to spend all afternoon making pastries in the kitchen?"  
  
"But it's Christmas Eve," Chris whined like a teenager. "I can't just sit on the sofa and do nothing while you're all busying yourselves."  
  
"You can always relax and rest up," Phoebe suggested, earning her a glare from Chris.  
  
"Don't worry," Chris reassured the witches. "I'm fine."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chris sat on the sofa in his empty apartment, staring out at the night sky. Christmas Eve. It used to be one of his favourite times of the year. He remembered not being able to sleep all night, wondering what he would find under the Christmas tree the next morning. He remembered how he and Ben used to wake up together on Christmas morning, rush down to the tree, and open their presents together.  
  
Ben. He was everything that an older brother could ever dream of. More than that. Ben was Chris' best friend. The two of them shared everything and knew of each other's every secret. There wasn't anything that Chris wouldn't do for Ben and Chris knew that Ben felt the same way about him. A single tear slid down his face as he reminisced.  
  
It was now getting close to midnight and the radio played softly in the background. Even though the weather was warm, Chris felt cold. He had felt like this every Christmas Eve since he became an orphan. When all the other kids would have dinner with their families, Chris would be all alone, wishing and hoping that he could have the same. Christmas time reminded the young Whitelighter of how much he had lost.  
  
"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he again berated himself for causing his parents' death.  
  
Taking a sip of tea, he again stared out into the bright San Francisco skyline as the song played in the background:  
  
"Do you remember me? I sat upon your knee; I wrote to you my childhood fantasies. Well I'm all grown up now, can you still help somehow? I'm not a child, but my heart still can dream.  
  
So here's my lifelong wish, my grown up Christmas list. Not for myself but for a world in need.  
  
No more lives torn apart, and wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts. Ev'ryone would have a friend, that right would always win, and love would never end: this is my grown up Christmas list.  
  
As children we believed, the grandest sight to see was something lovely wrapped beneath a tree. Well, heaven surely knows that packages and bows, can never heal a hurting human soul.  
  
No more lives torn apart, and wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts. Ev'ryone would have a friend, that right would always win, and love would never end: this is my grown up Christmas list."  
  
As the song ended, Chris felt a pair of arms wrap around him, holding him tight. "I thought you were putting Wyatt to sleep," he said softly as he realized who it was.  
  
"Not when my boyfriend is hurting," she said as she hugged him again. "I know it still hurts."  
  
"It'll never get easier, will it?" Chris asked as he snuggled close to Paige.  
  
"I don't know," Paige admitted.  
  
Chris sighed as he closed his eyes. "It still feels like it happened yesterday. The wounds are still so fresh," he whispered.  
  
Paige could only hold onto Chris tightly, trying to make him feel safe. She knew that things have been so rough for him and she only wished she could make it easier.  
  
"If only I could do it one more time, I wouldn't let them die."  
  
"Chris, there was nothing that you could've done to save them," Paige reasoned.  
  
Chris shook his head at that suggestion. "No, I could've saved them. They died because of me, Paige."  
  
"You're not making any sense, Chris. The demons killed your family."  
  
"But only because I alerted them to our location," Chris argued. "I orbed out of the cave. I should've walked away first."  
  
"Chris, don't do this to yourself," Paige pleaded.  
  
"My family died because of me, don't you understand?" Chris cried out, his voice full of anguish and frustration. "I'm the reason they died!!"  
  
"Stop it!" Paige commanded. "Just stop it, Chris. You did NOT kill your family. This was NOT your fault!"  
  
Chris wanted to retort but he didn't get a chance. Chris clutched his head with his hands as the room began to spin. He shut his eyes tightly, hoping to stop the nauseous feeling that threatened to overwhelm him. He heard Paige call out his name, but the voice sounded distant. Everything started to blur but they continued to spin. In the distance, he could make out the shadows. Familiar shadows. He knew this place, he could recognize it from a mile away. The destruction, the chaos, the distress, the evil. It was his world - the world that Chris tried so hard to escape and forget.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 28  
  
The air was hazy and the smell of smoke filled Chris' lungs. The young Whitelighter walked hesitantly down the street, weary of his surroundings and vigilant for any unseen danger.  
  
The haze quickly gave way to darkness. It was a darkness with which Chris was most familiar. The brightly-lit city nightscape was a distant memory in the past; cities haven't been well-lit at night for as long as Chris could remember.  
  
The streets were deserted, except for a few courageous ones who dared to roam the streets after dark. Chris' senses were heightened by noises from a nearby alley. For some unknown reason, the young Whitelighter was drawn to the noise, despite the potential danger that it posed.  
  
Walking into the alley, the noise that alerted Chris could no longer be heard. Chris looked around and all he could see was complete darkness. Just as he was about to turn back, a sudden flash of blue lights appeared before his eyes.  
  
"What the." Chris muttered as he tried to determine if he was in any danger.  
  
"Chris," the voice called out.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"I've missed you."  
  
"Mom," Chris called out, his voice trembling.  
  
"Why didn't you heal your brother?" she asked.  
  
Chris looked down at the floor, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry. I tried."  
  
"You promised me that you would take care of Ben."  
  
"Mom," he cried out. "I tried."  
  
"Your brother died a very painful death. Do you know that, Chris?"  
  
"Please forgive me," the young Whitelighter pleaded before the light suddenly faded, plunging Chris back into darkness.  
  
"Chris?" another voice called out.  
  
Chris turned to see another faint light coming towards him. "Ben!"  
  
"You promised that you were heal my wound."  
  
"I'm sorry, Ben," he answered.  
  
"Where were you when I got attacked by the demons? I called out for you."  
  
"I tried to save you, Ben," Chris replied, his vision blurring.  
  
"You weren't there when I needed you."  
  
"Wait!" Chris cried. "Don't go, Ben."  
  
Again, darkness filled his vision as the young Whitelighter struggled to stay on his feet. Everything began to spin and he felt like everything was becoming blurry and unstable. "Help me!" he called out. The only response that he heard was the echo of his own cries.  
  
"Chris?" a female voice called out.  
  
"I'm sorry. Mom, please forgive me," Chris whispered, his hair damp from the perspiration. "I never meant to hurt you."  
  
"Chris?" the female voice called out again.  
  
The young Whitelighter felt his body being shaken. He tried to shut out the voice, but it would not stop.  
  
"Wake up, Chris," the voice called again.  
  
Chris groaned as he felt a pain in his abdomen. He tried to get up but the effort was futile. Struggling to open his eyes, he was blinded by the sudden flood of light. "Where am I?" he croaked, his throat dry and burning. He felt a cool, damp towel on his forehead as his vision began to clear.  
  
"It's okay," Paige spoke softly. "Just relax and rest."  
  
Ignoring her advice, Chris again struggled to get up from the bed. Through pure grit and determination, he managed to get into a sitting position, although much of his remaining energy was exerted. Looking around, he realized that he was in Paige's bedroom. "How did I get here?"  
  
"I orbed you here after you," Paige paused as he looked away for a moment. "After you collapsed."  
  
Chris stared at Paige but didn't say a word. As if on cue, Piper and Phoebe walked in. Piper set a bowl of chicken soup on the night table and motioned for Chris to eat.  
  
"I'm not hungry," Chris answered softly, his face pale and his voice void of emotion.  
  
"Chris," Piper began with her motherly tone. "You need to eat in order to get better."  
  
Chris smiled weakly. Not wanting to upset Piper, he took several spoonfuls of soup before setting the bowl down gently. His head was pounding and his body ached. He laboured just trying to breathe and all his strength was sapped from him. Seeing three pairs of worried eyes on him, he smiled and put on his trademark smirk. "Don't take this so seriously. I'm fine, okay?"  
  
Unfortunately, his act fooled no one. "Who are you trying to kid, Chris?" Piper replied seriously.  
  
"I'm fine, okay?" he repeated, less confidently this time.  
  
Paige sat down by the bed as she tried to smooth Chris' damp hair. "Tell me what's wrong, Chris. You're scaring me."  
  
"I." Chris barely got a word out before a sharp pain shot through his body. He let out a cry of pain as he fell back on the bed. His body writhed as he tried to stop the pain. The Charmed Ones looked on helplessly, not knowing what to do.  
  
The pain disappeared as quickly as it came. But the devastating effects were apparent. Not wanting his charges to see him like this, Chris orbed out of the room only to find himself unable to do so. He crashed onto the floor in a crumpled heap as he banged his fist against the floor in frustration.  
  
The Charmed Ones helped him to the bed once again and all three of them sat by Chris' side, determined to find out the cause of the mysterious illness. Phoebe was the first to speak. "Chris, you wanted us to trust you and we did. But now, shouldn't you put the same trust in us and tell us what exactly is going on?"  
  
Chris sighed in defeat, knowing that he couldn't hide the truth from the Charmed Ones forever. He looked over at Paige with a pained expression before beginning his story. "Remember when I told you about why I came back to the present?" he asked Paige. She nodded while the other two witches looked at each other in confusion. "Well, I think my time is up."  
  
"What do you mean your time is up?" Piper asked, still somewhat upset that she had been kept in the dark.  
  
"It's a long story," Paige continued. "But to put it simply, Chris was cursed by a powerful demon and sent back to the present to change history. If he failed," she trailed off.  
  
"Obviously I failed," Chris finished for Paige.  
  
"But how?" Phoebe asked. "What exactly were you supposed to do?"  
  
"I don't know," Chris answered. He had always thought about this question but he never really had an answer. "I was just sent back in time and somehow I ended up in your manor."  
  
"I think he was sent to protect us, to prevent us from making some obviously destructive mistake in the future," Paige suggested.  
  
"So how has he failed?" Piper questioned. "We're obviously still around, alive and well."  
  
Chris' face paled even more after hearing Piper's comments. "You need to prepare yourselves."  
  
"What?" all three of them asked with a puzzled look.  
  
"It's obvious that the demons are planning to launch an attack against you. Arkon is betting that he will destroy you this time."  
  
"Who is Arkon?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"The demon who cursed Chris." Paige answered.  
  
"Okay," Piper cut in. "This is not making any sense at all. You should have told us when you knew, Paige."  
  
"It wasn't her fault," Chris said softly. "I made her promise not to tell."  
  
"Well, we can't do anything about that now," Phoebe concluded. "I think we should work on a plan to face the pending attack."  
  
"Let's go check the Book of Shadows," Piper suggested as Phoebe followed her out of the room.  
  
Paige stayed behind, not wanting to leave Chris alone. The young Whitelighter looked out the window and remained silent for a while. "I'm sorry, Paige," he finally said softly.  
  
"Chris, this isn't your fault. We'll find a way out of this," she replied as she held her boyfriend in her arms. She was appalled at how weak and vulnerable he looked. Her heart ached but there was little she could do to ease his pain.  
  
"I'm scared," Chris admitted.  
  
Paige kissed the Whitelighter, trying to reassure him. "We'll all be here for you."  
  
"Don't leave me, Paige," he pleaded as he shut his eyes.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 29  
  
Chris woke up to see Paige sitting in her chair, fast asleep. He tried to sit up but found that his strength had not returned. He tried unsuccessfully to silence his groans as he fell back onto the bed. Just as he had feared, his groans woke Paige from her sleep.  
  
"I'm okay," Chris whispered. "Go back to sleep."  
  
"I'm fine," Paige answered as she placed her hand on Chris forehead. Her expression was grim as Chris' fever failed to subside. "Let me see if Piper or Phoebe found anything in the Book of Shadows."  
  
Chris reached out and grabbed her hand as she was about to leave. "Don't," he called out. "It's no use. You won't find anything there."  
  
Paige brought her other hand to her eyes to wipe away the tears. "What do you want me to do? Sit here and just watch you suffer in pain?"  
  
Chris tried hard to smile, but it was difficult to do. "You need to help Phoebe and Piper prepare for this demon attack. There's nothing that you can do to help me."  
  
Paige covered her ears and shut her eyes. "I don't want to hear it," she stated as she refused to believe Chris' words. "I don't care what you say, Chris. But I'm not going to sit by and do nothing."  
  
The young Whitelighter sighed as Paige refused to listen. "I'm fine, okay? I just need some time to recuperate and then I'll be good as new." He tried so hard to be convincing that for a moment, he almost believed in his own words.  
  
"Chris," Paige began before she was cut off.  
  
"Trust me, okay?" Chris pleaded. "Go see if Phoebe and Piper need some help. I'll be fine here."  
  
Before Paige could get in another word, the manor shook violently. She could hear Piper and Phoebe yelling downstairs but could not make out what they were saying. The shaking continued and she could hear other voices now.  
  
"Go help Phoebe and Piper!" Chris ordered as Paige debated whether to go or stay.  
  
"I can't leave you here alone."  
  
"Just go! They need you!"  
  
Just as Paige orbed downstairs, two demons appeared in the room where Chris was staying. "How does it feel to be stripped of your powers, Christopher?" one of them sneered.  
  
Chris glared at the demons, daring them to make the first move.  
  
"You're a failure. Watching your charges die and not being able to do a single thing to help them," the other taunted as they advanced on Chris. They had barely taken two steps before Chris weakly flicked his wrist. Immediately, the two demons were burned to ashes. The sudden surge of power disoriented Chris. He struggled off the bed and tried unsuccessfully to orb. Knowing that the demons were outnumbering the Charmed Ones, he crawled towards the door, determined to provide what little assistance that he could.  
  
After much difficulty, he managed to position himself outside the parlour where the battle was raging. The Charmed Ones fought valiantly but the tide was slowly turning against them. Concentrating, Chris attempted once again to summon an energy ball. To his dismay, he could not even get a faint glimmer of energy to appear. He rested his head against the wall, horrified that he had lost the little power that he had left.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by Piper's cry as she was kicked in the stomach by a demon. Distracted, Phoebe and Paige also succumbed to the attacks. The three witches tried to regroup but they were cornered by the attackers.  
  
Just as the demons were about to strike the witches, Chris walked into the room. "Hey, ever thought of picking on someone your own size?"  
  
The demon turned around and laughed. "If the Charmed Ones can't beat us, what makes you think that you can do any better?" A massive fireball was thrown at Chris, who managed to avoid it just in time. Several more fireballs were launched but the young Whitelighter managed to avoid them all - except for the last one, which managed to graze Chris' shoulders.  
  
The young Whitelighter gasped at the sudden pain but refused to cry out. He tried once again to summon an energy ball but was once again bitterly disappointed. He was now faced with three demons who were ready to tear him apart, with little power remaining to defend himself. With their backs turned to the Charmed Ones, the three witches launched a counterattack against the demons. However, their advantage was short-lived as the demons once again gained the upper hand.  
  
The attacking demons were about to finish off the witches when they were interrupted by Chris yet again. Furious at being delayed, the demons turned towards the young Whitelighter with the intention of destroying him once and for all. Instead, they were met with a barrage of poison-tipped arrows that obliterated them. For the two demons that survived the arrows, Chris finished them up by flicking his hand and engulfing them in flames. Within minutes, the legion of demons that had threatened the Charmed Ones' existence was nothing more than piles of ash on the floor.  
  
Mission accomplished, Chris paid dearly for the exertion of energy as his knees buckled, causing him to collapse to the floor. Before darkness could engulf him, however, he felt himself pulled to his feet roughly. His eyes barely opened, he could make out a very angry Piper and Phoebe.  
  
"Poison arrows and fireballs," Piper seethed as she spoke. "Just who the hell are you, Chris Perry?" she demanded.  
  
Before Chris had a chance to formulate an answer, everything went dark as his limp body slid once again to the manor floor.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 30  
  
Chris groaned as he felt his aching muscles. Taking a moment to clear his head, he slowly got up from the floor. Surveying his surroundings, he realized that he had somehow ended up in the Haliwell attic. Taking a step towards the Book of Shadows, he felt pain surge through his body as he walked into an invisible magical wall. It didn't take him long to realize that he was in fact imprisoned inside a magical cage.  
  
"What's going on here?" he called out to no one in particular, hoping to get some answers. When no one responded, Chris tried to orb out of the cage, only to remember that he had already lost that power. The manor remained eerily quiet, which only caused the young Whitelighter to become even more anxious. Despite his valiant attempts to reconstruct the events of the recent past, he couldn't quite remember how he had ended up in the attic.  
  
Finally, after he had just about given up, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Sure enough, the Charmed Ones emerged and walked towards where Chris was confined.  
  
"Will someone like to tell me what is going on here?" Chris asked, clearly annoyed.  
  
"I think we will ask the questions here," Piper answered coldly. "You can just stick to answering us."  
  
The look in Piper's eyes made Chris feel uneasy. He turned to Phoebe for answers, but was met with an impassive stare. Finally, he turned to Paige for help, but his anxiety only intensified when she avoided his eyes.  
  
"Is there really a need to put me in this 'thing' just to ask me a few questions?"  
  
"We wouldn't know," Piper answered again. "Since we don't really know just what exactly you are."  
  
"Is there a point to all of this?" he asked, very annoyed by this inquisition.  
  
"Who and what exactly are you, Chris Perry?" Phoebe spoke up for the first time.  
  
"What kind of a question is that?" he asked incredulous, unable to believe that he was being held prisoner by his own charges.  
  
"Just answer the question, Chris," Phoebe ordered.  
  
The young Whitelighter rolled his eyes and sighed. "Your Whitelighter, in case you have forgotten."  
  
"Then how do you explain the fireballs?" Piper asked as she fixed her angry glare on him.  
  
"Fireballs aren't limited to demons, you know," he answered matter-of- factly. "Perhaps," Phoebe answered skeptically. "But why would you, of all Whitelighters, be able to use fireballs?"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Chris asked defensively.  
  
"Never mind," Piper cut in. "How do you explain the poison arrows?"  
  
Chris paused as he thought about his answer, knowing that a wrong answer could spell dire consequences. "What about them?"  
  
"Poison arrows are never used by Whitelighters. That I do know," Piper accused.  
  
"So what are you saying, exactly?" Chris asked without backing down. "If you want to say something, why don't you just come right out and say it instead of hiding behind your questions?"  
  
"Oh, you're one to talk," Phoebe joined in. "You of all people telling us to come clean with you?"  
  
"Well, it's obvious that you don't trust me. And if I guess correctly, you never did trust me in the first place."  
  
"You never really helped your cause with your cryptic answers."  
  
Chris laughed at the comment. "In case you haven't realized yet, I didn't come back for my 'cause.' I came back to save your sorry lives and now I'm seriously doubting the sanity of those who sent me back."  
  
"You can cut the bravado, Chris. Your days of lying to our faces are over."  
  
Chris snorted at the threat. "Whatever. If you think that putting me in this cage of yours can help you save Wyatt, you're seriously mistaken." Chris smiled inwardly as he noticed Piper blanche at the comment.  
  
Phoebe moved threateningly close to Chris, her eyes betraying her fiery anger. "What do you know about Wyatt's future? And don't try to hide anything from us."  
  
The young Whitelighter put on his trademark smirk again. "Why would you want to ask me? It's obvious you don't trust me, so don't waste my time asking for answers that you won't believe anyways."  
  
"Don't play games with us, Christopher," Phoebe said. "If anything happens to my nephew, I will personally vanquish you."  
  
"Let me guess," Chris answered, "This is where I'm supposed to start trembling in fear, right?"  
  
"Tell me who's after Wyatt, dammit!" Piper yelled, finally unable to control her anger any longer. Her outburst silenced the entire room.  
  
Chris looked at the floor, debating whether or not to reveal what he knew. Finally, he sighed and looked at Piper. "A legion of Vankyrs is after Wyatt. They are gathered in a cave 15 miles northwest of the city. Tomorrow morning is when they had originally planned to attack. If you want to save Wyatt, you'll have to vanquish them tonight."  
  
"If you're lying to us." Phoebe threatened.  
  
"Do what you want with the information," Chris said with resignation. "What benefit is it to me to lie to you?"  
  
"Fine," Piper said. "We'll deal with you when we return."  
  
"Wait," Chris called out. "The Vankyrs will use distractions to separate the three of you. You have to stay together no matter what. Otherwise they will easily defeat you."  
  
"Let's go get ready," Piper said to Phoebe as they headed downstairs.  
  
Paige stood in her spot, staring at the floor. After a minute, she finally summoned the courage to look at Chris. "Why?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Paige," Chris apologized. "I just couldn't."  
  
"I loved you. I trusted you, Chris. But all along you were lying to us.lying to me."  
  
"Paige, I didn't lie to you."  
  
"I don't even know which lines of yours are real and which are lies," Paige continued. "You really frighten me, you know that?"  
  
"Fine," Chris answered, his voice suddenly turning cold and emotionless. "If that's what you want to believe, that go ahead. I'm sick and tired of trying to explain myself to you three." With that, he turned his back on Paige and stared out the window.  
  
After a minute, Paige went to join her sisters downstairs as tears streamed down her face. Had she paid attention, she would have heard Chris' soft sobs as she walked out of the attic.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 31  
  
"Okay, so are we clear on the plan?" Piper asked as she put on a thin jacket.  
  
Phoebe nodded as she replayed the plan in her head. "Sounds simple enough."  
  
"Paige, how about you?" The youngest witch didn't respond but instead fixed her gaze on the floor. "Paige?" Piper called once again.  
  
"I got it. Guard the house and protect Wyatt," Paige answered.  
  
"Exactly. And do not let Wyatt near Chris," Phoebe added.  
  
"Chris said that we need to stay together or they'll defeat us," Paige protested.  
  
Piper sighed in frustration. "Well, Chris is not exactly someone I trust right now."  
  
"Don't worry," Phoebe offered, "we have everything that we need. Potions, spells, and what not. We can handle these demons."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Who is it?" Chris called out upon hearing a noise from the stairs. His question was quickly answered when Paige entered the room, holding Wyatt in her arms. A look of surprise was evident on the young Whitelighter's face. "Paige? What are you doing here?"  
  
"They told me to guard the house and stay with Wyatt."  
  
Chris groaned in frustration. "Didn't I tell you to stay together? I can't believe this!"  
  
"Can you blame them?" Paige asked as she sat down.  
  
Chris fixed an angry glare at her. "If you want to tell me that this is all my own doing because I never give straight answers, you can just save it. I've heard that lecture once too many times today."  
  
"You still don't get it, do you?" she chastised. "It's always about other people. Always how other people don't understand you. Have you ever thought that maybe you should think about how other people would feel about your actions? It's not always about you, you know."  
  
The anger rising was apparent even from where Paige was sitting. "Don't you even start accusing me of being selfish. I wouldn't be here if that was the case."  
  
"You're not making any sense, Chris."  
  
"Tell me, Paige. What have I gained from being your Whitelighter, aside from the constant accusations, mistrust, and talks behind my back?"  
  
"That's so unfair, Chris," Paige protested.  
  
"Oh, is it? You think I'm so oblivious that I don't know about Piper and Phoebe's discussion when I'm not around. How they've wished that I would go away and leave them alone? How they wished I would quit pestering them about vanquishing demons?"  
  
"You don't know."  
  
"And how many times did I have to defend myself against you three because you found it impossible to trust anyone aside from your precious Leo?"  
  
"I never accused you of anything," Paige shot back.  
  
"You didn't have to," Chris muttered softly, not wanting to continue the argument. "Just do me a favour. Go and help Piper and Phoebe."  
  
"No way," she answered. "They asked me to watch Wyatt."  
  
"I can watch Wyatt," Chris replied. "Just go and help them."  
  
Paige hesitated as she thought about Chris' request. She wanted to believe Chris and help her sisters but she could not ignore the nagging doubts in her mind.  
  
"Look," Chris continued, his voice betraying his frustration. "You can doubt me if you like. But unless you're really looking forward to living the rest of your life with the Power of One, then you better get to Piper and Phoebe real soon."  
  
"What about Wyatt?" she asked weakly, her mind obviously made up already.  
  
"I can watch over him. Nothing will happen to him if you manage to get rid of these demons tonight. Just trust me this time - please?"  
  
"Fine," Paige sighed. "I'll trust you - one more time."  
  
"Thank you," Chris said softly, his eyes looking at the floor. "Just go," he added in a near-whisper.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Okay, so where are these demons?" Piper whispered as she and Phoebe felt their way around the cave.  
  
"I don't know," Phoebe whispered back. "How big is this cave anyway?" They turned another corner before halting their advance. In the distance, they could see a faint fire with several demons gathered around it.  
  
"Okay, I say we just get in and blow these demons to bits. Then we get out of here," Piper suggested.  
  
"Good idea. This place gives me the creeps," Phoebe agreed.  
  
"Are you guys alright?" another voice called out, nearly causing Piper and Phoebe to scream out loud.  
  
"Paige, don't sneak up on us like that!" Phoebe admonished.  
  
A look of disapproval could be seen on Piper's face. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be guarding the manor!"  
  
"Chris said that I needed to come help you."  
  
"And you believed him??" Piper asked incredulously. "And what about Wyatt?"  
  
"Chris is looking after him," Paige answered sheepishly.  
  
"What?" Piper hissed. "Just what were you thinking? How could you leave Wyatt with him?"  
  
"Let's just finish up these demons and get back to the manor, okay?" Phoebe suggested, trying to stop a full-fledged argument from flaring.  
  
"Why don't you give Chris a chance?" Paige continued, refusing to drop the subject.  
  
"I think we've given him plenty of chances. He's nothing but a lying, conniving demonic being with an agenda that we still know nothing about."  
  
"What about all the times that he helped us?" Paige challenged.  
  
"Only to advance his own agenda."  
  
"Why can't you accept the fact that he might actually be good?"  
  
Piper glared at Paige, her anger apparent. "Trust me, Paige. Chris is as evil as they come. He's bad news, okay?"  
  
"Girls!" Phoebe cut in once again. "Can we just focus and vanquish these demons? Then we can go back to the manor and sort everything out, okay?"  
  
After a moment of silence, the Charmed Ones agreed to a temporary truce. The three of them advanced on the demons and launched their attack. To their dismay, their power had no effect on the demons at all. Even more strange was the fact that while the demons were not effected by the attack, neither did they make an effort to attack the Charmed Ones. All they did was move around to evade the three witches.  
  
It took a couple of minutes before Phoebe called for her sister's attention. "Okay, this does not look good."  
  
"What?" Piper asked, still wondering what was going on.  
  
"Uh, I think we've been played."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Paige asked.  
  
Instead of answering, Phoebe walked towards one of the demons. Piper and Paige gasped in horror as Phoebe walked right through the demon.  
  
"They're not real," Piper whispered.  
  
Paige felt her knees buckle as she slid to the ground, her heart breaking to pieces. "There were no demons to vanquish," she said to no one in particular.  
  
"This was all a setup!" Phoebe cried out, furious at being fooled. At that moment, all the "demons" disappeared, confirming that they had spent the last few minutes fighting against hallucinations and illusions.  
  
"Wyatt!" Piper suddenly called out in alarm as the realization of this setup hit her like a ton of bricks.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
Note: This is the second last chapter of "Anguished Soul." I'm not sure whether or not a sequel will be in store. Your feedback and any ideas that you may have will definitely be appreciated!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 32  
  
Meanwhile, back at the manor:  
  
Chris concentrated his powers and obliterated the magical cage that he was trapped in. The use of his little remaining powers sent pain shooting up his body, but he ignored it the best that he could. He was too close to completing his plan to let anything stop him now. He walked into the nursery and picked Wyatt up from his crib. Thankfully, Wyatt did not put his shield up. Over the past few months, Chris had worked so hard to gain Wyatt's trust, just for this moment. He breathed a sigh of relief as this part of his plan fell into place. Moving quickly, he descended down the stairs and moved into the living room. The young Whitelighter set Wyatt down in his playpen carefully and surveyed the room as he replayed his plan in his head.  
  
"You be a good boy, Wyatt," Chris whispered as the young infant smiled at him. "Everything's going to be okay," he added before moving to the next phase of his plan.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
At the cave:  
  
"We need to get back to the manor fast," Piper stated as she began to panic. A thousand scary thoughts crossed her mind as she could only imagine what Chris was doing with Wyatt.  
  
Paige tried to orb them back to the city but somehow her powers were blocked. She tried again and again but the end result was the same - they were stuck in the cave. "This is all my fault!" she cried as she tried to understand how she could have fallen for Chris in the first place.  
  
Piper walked over to Paige and hugged her. "This isn't your fault, honey. You couldn't have known."  
  
"You tried to warn me but I wouldn't listen," Paige argued as her guilt overwhelmed her.  
  
"Let's just focus on trying to get back to the manor. Wyatt needs us," Phoebe cut in as she reminded them of their desperate situation.  
  
"Paige, you've got to trying orbing us again. It's our only hope."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Back at the manor:  
  
Chris tried to calm himself down as he replayed his plan for the fiftieth time. He knew every detail of his plan but he couldn't stop himself from getting increasingly nervous. "Get a grip, Chris," he scolded himself. He turned to look at the family photos that lined the coffee table. He picked up a photo of Paige and stared at it for several minutes. He wiped the lone tear that fell onto the photo before setting it back down. He was about to pick up another photo when a massive wind blew into the manor, knocking Chris from the couch.  
  
Chris got up from the floor and immediately stood in front of Wyatt's playpen. He held on to the playpen for support as he felt his body began to tremble. Chris felt a sensation that was so foreign to him. Fear. For one of the few times in his life, Chris Perry was afraid.  
  
"Well, I must say that the past few months have been rather fun," the intruder greeted.  
  
Chris put on a brave face as he faced his foe. "I aim to please," he quipped cockily.  
  
"Yes, the trademark cockiness. I must say that you have impressed me on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, the game ends tonight."  
  
"Or so you think," Chris shot back.  
  
"You do realize that your false bravado can only carry you so far."  
  
"I think it's more than enough to deal with you, Arkon."  
  
The demon laughed. "You amuse me, Christopher. But I wouldn't exactly call your grand plan a success. After all, what exactly have you accomplished? You've lost your powers. You've lost the trust of your charges. Your true love feels betrayed. And in a few moments, you'll lose everything else."  
  
"If you think that you can just walk in here and do as you please, you're sorely mistaken."  
  
"Oh really?" Arkon laughed. He flicked his fingers and hurled Chris against the wall, causing the young Whitelighter to cry out in pain. "This is going to be fun," the demon laughed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Paige shut her eyes and concentrated all her powers. She knew that she had to make this situation right. Finally, she managed to orb them out of the cave and back to the manor. When they reformed, the Charmed Ones found themselves on the sidewalk outside the manor. They quickly ran up the stairs and tried to open the front door. To their horror, it was locked and they could not get in.  
  
Despite trying to blow up the door or to orb into the manor, the three witches remained stranded outside. None of their powers worked and they could feel their panic increase even more.  
  
"Someone must be using their powers to keep us out of the house," Piper stated after a moment of thought. "And I have a feeling I know who that someone is."  
  
"Impossible," Phoebe replied. "Chris lost his powers, remember?"  
  
"Or so we were led to believe," Piper replied bitterly. "I knew that he was up to no good."  
  
"Let's try the windows," Paige suggested, trying to relieve her guilt by helping to save Wyatt. Again, the Charmed Ones' powers had no effects on the windows; the power shielding the house was far too great.  
  
Phoebe looked through the window, trying to see if Wyatt was safe. Her gasp of horror immediately alerted Paige and Piper. "Oh my God!!" she exclaimed.  
  
The sight greeting the witches was not for the faint-hearted. The whole manor was being turned upside-down as an epic battle raged on. Wyatt had put up his protective shield in his playpen while Chris fought for his life against an unknown demon.  
  
"What is that thing?" Phoebe cried out.  
  
"Well, we can't really find out without the Book of Shadows," Piper pointed out.  
  
An idea popped into Paige's head as she tried to orb the Book of Shadows to her, but to her dismay, the shield around the house prevented the orb from taking place.  
  
"What exactly is going on?" Phoebe asked as she tried to sort out the puzzling sequence of events.  
  
"I have no idea," Piper muttered as she tried to find a way to get into the manor.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Inside the manor:  
  
"You're even weaker than I had expected, Christopher," Arkon sneered as he threw Chris against the wall for the umpteenth time. This time, Chris heard a crack and he was sure that one of his bones was broken.  
  
"You haven't won yet," Chris muttered, trying to put on a brave face. Deep down, however, he knew that he had already lost. There was no way that he could defeat Arkon. Even with his powers, his chances of victory were mediocre at best. Without his powers, he was no match for this demon. The young Whitelighter cried out in agony as Arkon jolted him with another bolt of electricity.  
  
Arkon laughed like a crazed being as he slowly destroyed Chris. He had waited far too long for this day to come. He was finally going to avenge his son's death. As he stopped the electricity bolts, he watched with glee as Chris' body slumped to the floor and remained almost motionless. It was only a matter of time before the young Whitelighter would be no more. Smiling, Arkon walked over to the playpen and fired an energy ball at Wyatt. Immediately, the infant put up his shield once again.  
  
"You think that shield will protect you, young one?" Arkon whispered. "Well, you better think again. It won't help you for long," he laughed as he fired a continuous bolt of energy at the shield. Chris could only look on in horror as Arkon attacked the shield. He knew that it was only a matter of time before Arkon's power would break through the shield, and there was nothing that Chris could do to stop Arkon. He struggled to get on his knees only to have Arkon knock him back down with his arms.  
  
"You're useless, Christopher. What good were your powers anyways?" Arkon taunted. "You thought you had the most brilliant plan to change history? You thought you could stop me from destroying this infant? Well, you were stupid, to say the least, trying to work against me!"  
  
Chris tried to move but he was too battered to do much. There was nothing that he could do. He had failed. The young Whitelighter resigned himself to his fate as Arkon continued the assault.  
  
Outside, the Charmed Ones looked on with panic as they noticed Wyatt's shield beginning to weaken. "We have to get inside now!!" Piper screamed as she desperately thought of a way to get inside.  
  
Chris could hear Piper's screams, but he prayed that they could not come into the manor. If they did, not only would they fail to save Wyatt, but they too would be destroyed. Trying once again, Chris struggled to his feet. He tried to summon an energy ball but as had been the case recently, he was unable to do so.  
  
"You're a total failure, Christopher. Your family was killed because of your uselessness. And now, this infant will die because of your stupidity!"  
  
"No!" Chris shouted. "I didn't kill my family. It wasn't me!!"  
  
"Oh you bet it was. If you hadn't been so stupid as to orb out of the cave, they wouldn't have died."  
  
"NO!!! You're lying!! It was you. You killed my family!!" Chris shot back angrily. In his anger, he summoned a massive energy ball and hurled it at Arkon, sending him flying against the wall.  
  
"You fool!" Arkon yelled angrily as he got back on his feet. The two began to fire energy balls at one another, both determined to destroy the other. Arkon fired a purple beam of energy towards Chris, who countered with a blue beam of energy. The two energy beams met each other and caused a stalemate. Both sides fought for supremacy, but neither side could gain the upper hand.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Okay, let's hope this works," Piper prayed as the three witches concentrated their powers on battering down the shield surrounding the manor. To their delight and surprise, their power broke through the shield and the Charmed Ones quickly ran into the manor.  
  
At the moment the Charmed Ones broke the shield, Chris felt a sharp pain to his body, causing him to convulse. The three witches ran into the living room just in time to witness Chris coughing up blood. In his weakened state, Chris' knees had buckled so that he was now on one knee. The purple beam had the clear advantage as it pushed Chris' blue beam back.  
  
Chris turned to see the witches standing in the room. "Get out," he gasped. "You are no match for him."  
  
Ignoring him, Piper tried to freeze Arkon to no avail. Arkon, in return, flicked his hands and sent Piper flying against the wall. Seeing the events unfold, Chris renewed his determination to push the purple beam back towards Arkon.  
  
"Phoebe, take Wyatt and get out of here," he begged. "Hurry!"  
  
Phoebe hesitated, giving Arkon enough time to through an energy ball towards her. Phoebe moved away just in time, but not before the energy ball grazed her neck.  
  
"Wyatt, go to your mom!" Chris called out. Immediately, Wyatt orbed himself into Piper's arms. Chris then flicked fingers as a gust of wind blew the Charmed Ones and Wyatt out into the hall. With another flick, Chris shielded the living room from the rest of the manor, in effect trapping himself in the room with Arkon.  
  
"That was a really stupid thing to do, Christopher."  
  
"Whatever," he replied as he struggled to fight off the advancing purple beam. He could feel his energy draining as Arkon began to dominate the fight. The young Whitelighter's eyes widened in horror as he saw Arkon pull out a black sword - the sword of Hades.  
  
Taking the sword, Arkon easily pierced through the shield that Chris had created. Chris cried out in agony as the shield disintegrated. The Charmed Ones tried to move to help Chris but the young Whitelighter held them back with another shield. "I have to keep them out of the room," he told himself as the pain and agony overwhelmed him.  
  
Again, Arkon sliced through the shield with the sword of evil. Chris looked on in dismay as Arkon aimed the sword at Wyatt and the Charmed Ones. "No!!!!" he yelled as he tried a last ditch attempt to save his charges. Summoning two poison arrows, Chris ran and pushed the witches out of the way. Grabbing the poison arrows, he stabbed Arkon in the body, causing the demon to cry out in shock and agony.  
  
Chris felt indescribable pain slice through his own body. His vision blurred and his knees buckled. The last thing that he remembered was the sword of Hades piercing through his body.  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
Note: Okay, so I lied. As I was writing this chapter, I discovered that there were too many loose ends to tie up for one chapter. As a result, THIS will be the second last chapter, with chapter 34 being the final chapter of "Anguished Soul" (unless I decide to take another digression).  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 33  
  
Arkon's screams echoed through the manor as the poison arrows took their effect. Despite being mortally injured, his mind was still bent on vengeance. Using whatever power he had left, Arkon summoned a massive fireball and launched it at the Charmed Ones. The three witches quickly moved out of harm's way, but to their dismay, the fireball did not go crashing into the wall. Instead, the fireball swerved and followed its targets. Unwittingly, the Charmed Ones found themselves cornered as the fireball zeroed in on them. Arkon's crazy and deafening laughter did little to help the situation. Piper tried once again to freeze the fireball but it was to no avail. As they braced themselves for a fiery end, Chris weakly lifted his hand and flicked it, sending the fireball on a collision course with Arkon. As the demon became engulfed in his own flames, his screams of agony became softer and softer until there was silence in the manor.  
  
It took a few minutes before everyone recovered from shock. Paige was the first to rush towards Chris, was laid on the floor, seriously wounded. She knelt down and gently lifted his head. "Chris, I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "This is all my fault!!"  
  
Chris wanted to argue with her but he had no energy left to do so. All he could do was close his eyes and feel his life slowly draining away. It was so difficult to keep his eyes open and everything seemed to be blurry.  
  
Piper quickly put Wyatt in his playpen and joined Paige by Chris' side. Phoebe was flipping through the Book of Shadows, hoping to find anything that could help Chris. It was Piper who noticed that the sword of Hades that impaled Chris was no longer there. In fact, the sword had disappeared the moment Arkon was vanquished. The sword wound also disappeared and there was no blood around where the sword pierced Chris' body. Still, Chris' condition was grave and getting worse with each passing minute.  
  
"I guess this is it, huh?" Chris said, his throat dry and burning. "You're going to get your wish, Piper. A new Whitelighter."  
  
"Don't be stupid, Chris," Piper chastised, her voice choking on her tears. "You know I didn't mean it when I said that. You're going to be fine. You're not leaving this easily."  
  
"I don't think I have a choice," Chris answered as he gasped for air.  
  
At that moment, Phoebe came running into the room, vial in hand.  
  
"Did you find anything?" Paige asked hopefully.  
  
"Nothing that would heal him," Phoebe answered dejectedly. "But this potion should ease his pain for the time being." She slowly fed Chris the potion, wishing that there was more that she could do.  
  
Within minutes, the potion began to take effect as Chris' pain slowly eased and his energy returned somewhat. They helped the young Whitelighter to Paige's bed and tried to make him comfortable.  
  
"I'll go make you something to eat," Piper suggested as she headed to the door.  
  
"Wait," Chris called out. "Don't go," he added. "I need to tell you all something."  
  
Piper nodded and sat down in the chair while Paige and Phoebe sat on the bed. They looked at Chris as he formulated his thoughts. For the first time in a long time, the Charmed Ones remembered how young their Whitelighter really was.  
  
"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," Chris began as he stared as his hands, not daring to make eye contact with the sisters. "I never meant to hurt you or lie to you. I just couldn't think of any other way."  
  
Paige hugged Chris as he spoke. "We understand. I'm so sorry for doubting you."  
  
Chris nodded but didn't say anything in response. After a moment, he continued. "I think you all deserve some answers now. Who I really am and how I got my powers."  
  
"Chris, you don't have to," Phoebe began. "We don't doubt your intentions. You need to rest up and get better."  
  
Chris smiled sadly. "No, I want to tell you. I'm afraid that I won't get another chance to if I don't do it now."  
  
Paige began to protest, but Chris did not waver. "I'm a half-witch, half Whitelighter," he said as he began to retell his childhood story. Of course, Paige had already heard this story before but even hearing a second time did not stop her tears from flowing. Not surprisingly, Piper and Phoebe were both in tears by the time Chris told them how his family was killed and how Annette had betrayed Chris. The young Whitelighter went on to explain the reason why he was sent back to the present and what his mission was.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Piper finally said. "I never knew you had such gone through so much."  
  
Chris nodded, accepting Piper's apology. "I knew that you would all react this way if I had told you this right from the beginning. I didn't want your pity or for you to feel bad for me. It would've made my work a lot harder."  
  
"We would've been easier on you, Chris," Phoebe protested, bringing a weak smile to Chris' face.  
  
"I know I was an annoying brat," Chris conceded. "It's one of the few things that come naturally for me." The young Whitelighter stopped to catch his breath before continuing. "Of course, none of this explains why I was able to summon demonic powers at will."  
  
"Why don't you rest up for a bit first," Phoebe suggested, seeing how drained Chris looked.  
  
"Because if I rest now, I probably won't wake up again," Chris answered grimly. "I'm fine, Phoebe. Let me finish." Chris gasped for air as he struggled to remain awake. "After my family died, I had no one to turn to. For a while, I was just wandering, trying to survive in the world of demons. Until one day."  
  
~ flash forward ~  
  
"One more move and I'll blast you into oblivion," Chris threatened as four demons closed in on him. When they ignored him, Chris carried out his threat by blasting the demons with energy balls. As the last of the demons were vanquished, Chris was thrown off his feet by a massive gust of wind. He felt an invisible arm choking him as he struggled to breathe.  
  
"Christopher Perry. I've been watching you for a long time," the voice called out.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
"I think you will be a valuable asset to me," the voice continued as it released its hold on Chris. "Join me."  
  
"Who said anything about joining you?" Chris remarked with his developing cockiness.  
  
"I think I can make you an offer that you can't refuse."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"How about if I offered you your family back?"  
  
"And I'm supposed to believe you?"  
  
"What do you have to lose?"  
  
Chris thought for a moment. Being young and innocent, he really couldn't see the consequences of his decision. All he knew was that he wanted his family back. "What do I have to do?"  
  
"I'll train you to become my right-hand man, Christopher. As long as you remain loyal to me, you will get your family back."  
  
"Fine, you have yourself a deal."  
  
~ end flash forward ~  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
Note: I guess I miscalculated my long-windedness again. This will definitely be the 2nd last chapter. Chapter 35 will end off the story.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul - Chapter 34  
  
The distant look in Chris' eyes was haunting as he relived those moments of his life.  
  
"So who exactly did that voice belong to?" Phoebe asked, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer."  
  
"Arkon."  
  
There was a collective gasp as Chris revealed that he had worked with the demon they had just vanquished.  
  
"Arkon trained me and gave me new powers. I excelled in his training and soon, I had more power than everyone except for Arkon and his son. At that point, he began to send me out on missions to consolidate his power."  
  
"What kind of missions?" Piper asked.  
  
"It began with vanquishing other demons who were opposed to him. Basically, anyone who would not submit to him were chased down and destroyed."  
  
"How long did that last?"  
  
"Not long. Very soon, the remaining demons were so scared that they willingly submitted to Arkon."  
  
"And then what happened?" Paige asked.  
  
"That's when he assigned me to destroying rebel witches and Whitelighters."  
  
~ flash forward ~  
  
"Sir, we've located him," one of the lowly demons said to Chris. "He's hiding in the cabin on the other side of the forest."  
  
"Let's go pay him a surprise visit then," Chris smirked as he led his legion of demons towards the cabin.  
  
Upon reaching the cabin, Chris knocked down the door and moved inside. It wasn't difficult to locate the target. The young man stood in front of Chris, petrified at his fate. Desperate, the Whitelighter lashed out at Chris, only to be hit by three fireballs the demons launched. The Whitelighter collapsed on the floor, severely injured and facing certain death.  
  
Chris walked over to the dying Whitelighter and raised his arm, ready for the final kill. For a moment, Chris hesitated as a strange feeling overwhelmed him. Shaking clear of the thoughts, Chris summoned his powers. At the last possible moment, he whipped around and unleashed his powers on his legion of demons, annihilating them completely.  
  
The Whitelighter stared in shock, not knowing what was happening. Chris knelt down and using his powers, healed the Whitelighter.  
  
"I.I.don't understand," the bewildered Whitelighter stuttered.  
  
"There's nothing to understand," Chris answered. "Just go, before Arkon finds out where you are."  
  
"But what about you?"  
  
"That's not for you to worry about. Just go."  
  
The Whitelighter smiled a grateful smile before leaving. Alone again, Chris knew that his actions would arouse the wrath of Arkon, but he didn't care. First of all, there was no way that he could kill good witches and Whitelighters. Secondly, he had finally come to realize that Arkon was lying to him all along about bringing back his family. His real plan was to corrupt Chris with evil powers in hopes of turning him once and for all.  
  
Chris sighed as he weighed his options. There was no way that he could go back to Arkon unless he wanted to die a very painful death. On the other hand, the fact that he was Arkon's right hand man meant that he was also wanted by the forces of good. It was a hopeless situation, Chris thought. Either way, he was doomed.  
  
Before Chris could formulate another thought, he found himself surrounded by another group of demons - Arkon's special corps of demons. They were the elite of the elite.  
  
"Come back with us now, Chris. Arkon demands your presence immediately."  
  
"Tell him that I have some things to finish up and I will return as soon as I'm done."  
  
"Arkon wants to see you NOW!"  
  
Chris unleashed a fireball and engulfed two demons in flames. The other demons immediately counterattacked. Even though Chris was powerful, he could not overpower a whole legion of elite demons. One particularly eager demon subdued Chris with a particularly powerful fireball. It wasn't enough to kill or even seriously hurt Chris, but it was just enough to knock the wind out of him long enough for the demons to secure him. The leader of the group smirked as Chris struggled against his captors.  
  
"Well, Christopher, I guess the day has finally come," he sneered. "I knew you were trouble from the day you showed up. Luckily, you won't be an annoyance for much longer. I'm sure Arkon will not be pleased by your treachery." With that, he inserted a poison needle into Chris, to prevent him from using his powers against them.  
  
Chris put on a brave face, but he knew that the demon was right. Arkon didn't take disloyalty lightly, as he himself had witnessed on multiple occasions.  
  
In a last ditch attempt, Chris tried to orb away, knowing that doing so would drain his powers even faster. Luckily, he succeeded in escaping and soon, he found himself on the run. He could feel the entire legion of demons on his tail, and the poison was quickly taking effect. He found his legs getting heavier. He tripped on a rock and crashed to the ground. This delay was just enough for the demons to catch up to him.  
  
"That was a really stupid thing to do, Christopher."  
  
Chris tried to get up, but the pain in body was too much. As he resigned himself to his fate, the demons suddenly disappeared with a cry of agony amidst a thick layer of smoke. As the smoke cleared, he saw Afilla and the other gods.  
  
~ end flash forward ~  
  
"I thought for sure that I was going to die, even though the demons didn't kill me. I knew that Afilla and Arkon were sworn enemies."  
  
"But they didn't kill you."  
  
"No, they actually healed me," Chris answered.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because apparently they saw good in me," Chris whispered. "Then I saw him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The Whitelighter that I saved. Apparently he persuaded the gods to help me, knowing that Arkon would destroy me if they didn't intervene."  
  
"What happened after that?" Paige asked as she wiped the perspiration from Chris' forehead.  
  
"The gods tried to bind the demonic powers that Arkon gave me because they couldn't take it away. And I promised them not to ever use them again. For the most part, I kept my promise." Chris shivered as his body began to lose more energy. His actions brought another wave of fear on the sisters and caused Paige to hug him tightly, trying to keep him warm. "The first time I broke the vow was when I killed Arkon's son. This was one of the reasons why the gods sent me back to the present."  
  
The Charmed Ones nodded as they finally understood Chris Perry. They knew his story and why he came to help them. And now, they felt even more helpless, knowing that they can't help him in return.  
  
"I broke my promise three more times during the course of the last few months. And tonight," he grimaced in pain as he felt his wounds intensifying. "And tonight," he gasped, "was the fifth, and probably last, time."  
  
Paige held onto Chris for her dear life. "You'll be okay, Chris. Don't give up," she cried.  
  
Chris smiled weakly and squeezed Paige's hand. His eyelids were heavy and he became very tired. Despite his desire to stay awake, he was fighting a losing battle. Before long, he had settled into a deep sleep. As he drifted off to sleep, the Charmed Ones let loose the emotions that they had been struggling to keep inside. They had tried to appear strong and controlled in front of Chris, not wanting to upset him, but in reality, they were an emotional wreck, not able to believe that things had taken such a drastic turn for the worst.  
  
After a lot of crying and hugging, Phoebe and Piper went down to the kitchen to make dinner. It was also a chance to give Paige some time alone with Chris. It was clear that the potion that Phoebe made earlier was beginning to wear off and that very soon, the agony and pain would become increasingly unbearable for Chris.  
  
As Piper busied herself at the stove, Phoebe tried once again to look through the Book of Shadows, hoping against the odds that she could find a way to save Chris. She got Piper's attention when she tried to stifle a sob.  
  
"What's the matter, Phoebe?" Piper asked as she joined her at the kitchen table. "Did you find something?"  
  
"I know what Arkon did to Chris," Phoebe answered, her words muddled by her sobs.  
  
"Then we should know how to save him," Piper concluded.  
  
Phoebe buried her face in her hands. "Only Chris can save himself," she continued. "And there are only two ways."  
  
"What are they?"  
  
"Either he would have to sell his soul to Hades and assume Arkon's position."  
  
"That's out of the question. And the second way?"  
  
"He would have to kill three witches before the poison destroys him. And these three witches must be related by blood."  
  
~ to be continued ~ 


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed. All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.  
  
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!  
  
This is the final chapter of Anguished Soul. There may potentially be a sequel to this story, but nothing has been decided yet. If you have any ideas or feedback regarding a possible sequel, feel free let me know!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anguished Soul – Chapter 35  
  
"Are you sure those are the only ways? They are pretty lousy solutions," Piper bemoaned. "There has to be a way. There's always a way."  
  
Phoebe rubbed her temples to release some of the pent up stress. "If there is a way, we better find out really soon because Chris won't last much longer like this."  
  
"We can't just sit and watch him die," Piper answered with determination. "He saved us."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
~ Up in Paige's room ~  
  
Chris drifted in and out of consciousness and his level of agony steadily increased. His constant writhing did little to increase his level of comfort. Paige watched helplessly as Chris struggled, not knowing what she could do to help him. She was praying that Phoebe and Piper would find something in the Book of Shadows to save Chris.  
  
She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice Chris wake up. It was only when she heard him try to stifle a painful groan that she remembered that she wasn't alone.  
  
"How are you feeling?" she asked softly.  
  
"What time is it?" he asked, avoiding her question.  
  
"Almost nine thirty."  
  
Chris' ashen face seemed to take on a grimmer look as he heard Paige's answer. Deep down, he knew his time was up and he only hoped that he had accomplished what he came back to do.  
  
"I'm sorry, Paige," he apologized again. Unfortunately, the countless apologies that Chris made failed to alleviate his sense of guilt. "You have every right to hate me, but..."  
  
His apologies were cut short when Paige silenced him with a kiss. It started timidly but grew in passion. Chris soaked in this moment, knowing that this will likely be the last time he would ever feel her lips on his.  
  
When they finally broke apart, Paige whispered, "Don't apologize anymore. You didn't do anything wrong. I love you, Chris." Her voice wavered but she managed to keep her tears from falling.  
  
Now it was Chris' turn to feel emotional. "How? How could you love me after everything that I've done?"  
  
"It wasn't your fault. You saved us so many times. How could I not love you?"  
  
At that moment, Phoebe and Piper walked into the room, their worries evident on their faces. Paige turned to face her sisters, hoping that they bore good news. "So? Did you find a way to help Chris?"  
  
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as both Phoebe and Piper carefully contemplated their next words. "Paige, can you come outside for a minute? There's something we need to discuss."  
  
"You don't have to bother, Piper," Chris cut in. "It's won't do any good."  
  
Both Piper and Phoebe were surprised that Chris seemed to know what they had in mind, although they weren't completely sure if this was the case. "What do you mean, Chris?"  
  
"I know the Book of Shadows talked about two ways to heal me," Chris answered. "I'm not going to choose either of those ways."  
  
"But..." Phoebe began.  
  
"And anyways, didn't you read the footnote to that entry?"  
  
"What footnote?"  
  
Piper quickly flipped through the Book of Shadows until she found the entry that she was looking for. Paige quickly joined her sisters as they looked for the footnote that Chris talked about. After searching for a while, they finally found it. Reading it several times, Paige could not believe what her eyes told her. She finally tore her eyes away from the Book and crossed the distance between herself and Chris. "Why did you do that? Why would you seal yourself off from magic?"  
  
"I had no choice," Chris answered weakly as his energy continued to drain from him. "I knew that once you read the Book, you would try to do something to save me. I can't let you do that."  
  
"Shouldn't we get a say in this?" Phoebe challenged.  
  
"No," Chris answered with such conviction that he surprised even himself. "I might not be a very good Whitelighter. And I know that for the most part, you girls never took me seriously," he continued as the Charmed Ones were once again cloaked with guilt. "But I'm still your Whitelighter and I'm not going to let you endanger yourselves or endanger the forces of good just so that you can save me."  
  
Realizing that Chris was right, Phoebe rested her head on Piper's shoulders as she began to cry. The thought of watching her Whitelighter die in front of her very own eyes and not being able to do anything about it was too much for her. Piper, meanwhile, tried to be strong for her sisters but found it nearly impossible to do. She, too, was overcome with grief and guilt. The guilt that tugged at her heart was unrelenting and yet there was little that she could do to relieve that painful feeling.  
  
"Chris, please don't leave me," Paige begged as Chris' eyes began to close and his body began to relax.  
  
"Shh," Chris comforted her with little success. Despite trying hard to block out his emotions, he was powerless to stop the tears from streaming down his own face. He had never been afraid of dying, until he met Paige. As he felt his life draining out of him, Chris felt his fear increase. He wanted to hold onto everything that he had. The timing wasn't right. He didn't want to die. But he was powerless to stop his march towards death. A soft whimper escaped from his mouth as these thoughts overwhelmed him. "Paige," he called out in desperation. "I'm scared," he finally admitted.  
  
Paige held on tightly to Chris, refusing to let him go and trying to give him assurance that she was there for him. Not knowing what to say to comfort him, Paige could only remember how Chris had comforted her in her hour of need. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she began to sing the soft melody:  
  
"When I am down, and oh my soul so weary, when troubles come, and my heart burdened be, then I am still and wait here in the silence, until you come and sit awhile with me. You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be. You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be. You raise me up to more than I can be."  
  
"I love you, Paige," Chris whispered as he took one final breath. His eyes closed and his body relaxed in the Paige's arms.  
  
Silence filled the room as the Charmed Ones tried to let reality sink in. The shock prevented any of them from reacting. Paige just stared at her boyfriend blankly, her tears refusing to fall, her body refusing to react. The San Francisco night was eerily calm. There was no breeze and even the birds weren't singing.  
  
The Charmed Ones would never hear his wisecracks or see his heart-melting smile again. Chris Perry – their mysterious young Whitelighter from the future, the sometimes annoying but mostly lovable young man who always managed to bring out a whole spectrum of emotions from the sisters, their guardian angel, their friend, and to one particular Charmed One, the love of her life – was gone.  
  
~ The End...or is it?? Is Chris really gone? Sequel? ~ 


End file.
